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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. cell — in biology
  4. fork — in a road
  5. pound — a weight
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. tear — from crying
  11. firm — decided
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. land — to come down
  15. vault — a safe
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. cell — a phone
  18. tear — to rip
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. land — a country
  21. firm — a company
  22. firm — steady
  23. tear — from crying
  24. land — ground

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