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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. staff — employees
  5. firm — a company
  6. staff — employees
  7. firm — steady
  8. file — a document
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. staff — a stick
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. firm — decided
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. file — a tool
  16. bat — the animal
  17. snap — to click
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. file — a line of people
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. wound — an injury
  24. wound — an injury

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