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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. march — the month
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. spring — of water
  5. march — the month
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. march — music
  10. spring — a coil
  11. club — for dancing
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. chip — to eat
  15. club — a group
  16. rush — hurry
  17. firm — a company
  18. firm — decided
  19. spring — the season
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. chip — for betting
  22. club — for golf
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. rush — to hurry

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