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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. wound — an injury
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. mug — a cup
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. bore — to tire
  8. mug — to rob
  9. chest — a box
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. firm — steady
  12. fork — in a road
  13. current — electric
  14. chest — of your body
  15. content — happy
  16. firm — decided
  17. content — the amount
  18. chest — of your body
  19. wound — an injury
  20. mug — a face
  21. current — of water
  22. bore — to drill
  23. current — happening now
  24. fork — to eat with

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