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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. staff — employees
  3. firm — decided
  4. staff — a stick
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. staff — employees
  7. net — for catching
  8. net — in sport
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. firm — steady
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. bank — for money
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. bank — of a river
  15. pound — a weight
  16. net — after costs
  17. bank — for money
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. firm — a company
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. wake — a trail
  24. pound — to hit hard

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