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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. net — for catching
  3. net — after costs
  4. last — final
  5. kick — in football
  6. firm — a company
  7. present — the time now
  8. present — a gift
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. firm — steady
  11. cap — a lid
  12. last — finally
  13. foot — a measure
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. last — to go on
  16. net — in sport
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. cap — a hat
  22. present — there
  23. cap — of ice
  24. firm — decided

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