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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. suit — to fit
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. row — to paddle
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. file — a line of people
  7. present — the time now
  8. row — a line
  9. present — there
  10. hand — help
  11. firm — a company
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. spring — of water
  14. suit — clothes
  15. firm — steady
  16. file — a document
  17. file — a tool
  18. spring — the season
  19. firm — decided
  20. suit — in cards
  21. spring — a coil
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. present — a gift
  24. hand — in cards

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