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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. snap — to click
  4. firm — decided
  5. rock — music
  6. firm — steady
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. firm — a company
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. rock — a stone
  12. suit — in cards
  13. bound — certain
  14. suit — clothes
  15. bound — tied together
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. suit — to fit
  18. bound — obliged
  19. shower — rain
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. shower — to wash
  23. fork — in a road
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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