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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. ground — a position
  3. firm — decided
  4. staff — employees
  5. hand — in cards
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. cap — a hat
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. firm — a company
  12. staff — a stick
  13. hand — help
  14. cap — a lid
  15. perch — the fish
  16. cap — of ice
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. ground — crushed
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. ground — the earth
  22. kick — in football
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. firm — steady

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