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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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. mine — an explosive
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. pitch — completely
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. content — the amount
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. firm — steady
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. content — happy
  21. mine — for digging
  22. mark — a trace
  23. mark — a grade
  24. pitch — a sports field

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