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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. track — a song
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. firm — steady
  5. capital — money
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. cue — for pool
  9. track — a path
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. row — to paddle
  12. prune — to trim
  13. row — a line
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. prune — to trim
  18. track — to keep track
  19. cue — a hint
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. cue — a signal
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. capital — a city
  24. firm — a company

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