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 116 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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. branch — a division
  3. staff — employees
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. cue — a hint
  6. mark — a grade
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. pop — music
  9. firm — a company
  10. cue — for pool
  11. wake — a trail
  12. pop — soda
  13. cue — a signal
  14. firm — steady
  15. last — to go on
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. staff — employees
  18. staff — a stick
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. pop — to visit
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. last — finally
  23. last — final
  24. mark — a trace

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