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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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. firm — steady
  3. last — finally
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. bulb — for light
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. clip — to cut
  9. clip — a video
  10. firm — a company
  11. bulb — for light
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. vault — a safe
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. perch — the fish
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. firm — decided
  18. hand — in cards
  19. hand — help
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. clip — for paper
  22. last — final
  23. last — to go on
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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