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 got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. key — the most important part
  4. firm — steady
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. mark — a grade
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. shower — rain
  9. key — for a lock
  10. spring — the season
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. fine — all right
  15. key — in music
  16. spring — a coil
  17. firm — a company
  18. shower — to wash
  19. spring — of water
  20. fork — in a road
  21. firm — decided
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. fine — high quality
  24. mark — a trace

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