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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. mug — a face
  4. prune — to trim
  5. firm — steady
  6. cue — for pool
  7. mine — for digging
  8. mug — to rob
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. fine — high quality
  11. cue — a hint
  12. shower — to wash
  13. mug — a cup
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. firm — a company
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. cue — a signal
  19. fine — all right
  20. prune — to trim
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. shower — rain

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