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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. bank — for money
  3. squash — to crush
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. squash — the sport
  8. ball — a dance
  9. game — a match
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. lie — to recline
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. bank — of a river
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. game — wild animals
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. chair — a leader
  20. firm — a company
  21. bank — for money
  22. firm — steady
  23. ball — a great time
  24. pitcher — a jug

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