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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. firm — decided
  3. face — to confront
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. firm — a company
  6. face — part of the head
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. fine — all right
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. stock — goods
  11. game — wild animals
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. stock — shares
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. fine — high quality
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. wind — moving air
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. wind — moving air
  21. face — to point toward
  22. tube — a container
  23. game — a match
  24. firm — steady

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