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 116 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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. mate — a friend
  6. scale — in music
  7. dip — to sink
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. mate — a partner
  10. shower — to wash
  11. shower — rain
  12. scale — size or range
  13. saw — the tool
  14. saw — the tool
  15. firm — a company
  16. fall — the season
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. season — of the year
  20. mate — to breed
  21. fall — to drop
  22. firm — steady
  23. fall — to drop
  24. season — in sport

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