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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. firm — decided
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. bore — to drill
  5. present — there
  6. present — the time now
  7. key — the most important part
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. wake — a trail
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. dip — to sink
  12. key — for a lock
  13. firm — a company
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. bore — to tire
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. present — a gift
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. key — in music

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