ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. firm — steady
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. saw — the tool
  5. content — happy
  6. face — to point toward
  7. hand — in cards
  8. hand — help
  9. content — the amount
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. present — there
  15. firm — decided
  16. face — part of the head
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. present — a gift
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. face — to confront
  21. firm — a company
  22. vault — a safe
  23. saw — the tool
  24. saw — past of 'see'

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com