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 116 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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — of a river
  4. object — to protest
  5. swing — in golf
  6. swing — music
  7. firm — decided
  8. swing — to play on
  9. plane — a tool
  10. clip — to cut
  11. object — a thing
  12. bank — for money
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. clip — for paper
  15. capital — a city
  16. firm — a company
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. capital — money
  19. object — an aim
  20. ground — a position
  21. clip — a video
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. ground — crushed
  24. firm — steady

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