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 124 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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. dip — to sink
  3. tube — a container
  4. season — in sport
  5. row — to paddle
  6. row — a line
  7. fine — all right
  8. cold — not warm
  9. cold — the Cold War
  10. firm — a company
  11. cold — an illness
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. season — of the year
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. rest — a break
  16. rest — what's left
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. rest — what's left
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. fine — high quality
  22. firm — steady
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. tube — the underground

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