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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. firm — a company
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. spring — of water
  6. firm — steady
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. date — the fruit
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. rush — hurry
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. firm — decided
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. fine — all right
  19. fine — high quality
  20. spring — a coil
  21. spring — the season
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. mouse — the animal

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