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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. bank — for money
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. charge — electricity
  6. firm — decided
  7. firm — steady
  8. craft — a skill
  9. craft — boats
  10. charge — in control
  11. kick — in football
  12. charge — a price
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. row — to paddle
  16. row — a line
  17. bank — for money
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. bank — of a river
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. lie — to recline
  23. firm — a company
  24. pound — a weight

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