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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. field — for sport
  4. snap — to click
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. plane — a tool
  10. pitch — completely
  11. firm — decided
  12. field — a subject
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. firm — steady
  16. capital — money
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. field — farmland
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. capital — a city
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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