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 124 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. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. tear — from crying
  3. mark — a trace
  4. firm — a company
  5. tear — to rip
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. present — the time now
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. swing — music
  11. pass — a permit
  12. present — a gift
  13. mark — a grade
  14. firm — steady
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. swing — in golf
  17. swing — to play on
  18. tear — from crying
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. present — there

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