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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. file — a document
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. spring — a coil
  5. present — the time now
  6. spring — the season
  7. bank — of a river
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. file — a tool
  10. file — a line of people
  11. present — there
  12. shower — to wash
  13. spring — of water
  14. bank — for money
  15. pop — to visit
  16. shower — rain
  17. pop — soda
  18. pop — music
  19. present — a gift
  20. firm — a company
  21. snap — to click
  22. bank — for money
  23. firm — steady
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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