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. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. firm — decided
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. mate — to breed
  5. rest — a break
  6. prune — to trim
  7. cold — an illness
  8. firm — a company
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. rest — what's left
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. rest — what's left
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. mate — a friend
  18. sharp — clever
  19. prune — to trim
  20. mate — a partner
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. firm — steady
  23. cold — not warm
  24. deal — to handle

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