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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. firm — a company
  3. firm — steady
  4. pop — to visit
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. rest — a break
  7. rest — what's left
  8. cap — a lid
  9. press — newspapers
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. rest — what's left
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. press — a publisher
  15. shower — to wash
  16. shower — rain
  17. cap — a hat
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. pop — music
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. cap — of ice
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. pop — soda
  24. press — to push

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