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 120 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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. firm — steady
  4. saw — the tool
  5. last — to go on
  6. root — of a plant
  7. object — an aim
  8. last — finally
  9. firm — decided
  10. press — to push
  11. object — a thing
  12. shower — to wash
  13. object — to protest
  14. root — of a word
  15. saw — the tool
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. last — final
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. firm — a company
  20. shower — rain
  21. press — newspapers
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. press — a publisher
  24. root — the cause

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