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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. bank — for money
  3. firm — decided
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. track — a song
  9. snap — to click
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. saw — the tool
  13. bank — for money
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. track — to keep track
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. track — a path
  18. fork — in a road
  19. chair — a leader
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. saw — the tool
  22. firm — steady
  23. firm — a company
  24. bank — of a river

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