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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. spring — a coil
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. mark — a trace
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. firm — a company
  7. deal — to handle
  8. firm — steady
  9. shower — to wash
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. shower — rain
  12. spring — the season
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. bear — the animal
  15. last — final
  16. mark — a grade
  17. last — finally
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. spring — of water
  20. bear — the animal
  21. last — to go on
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. mark — to pay attention

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