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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. spell — magic
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. firm — decided
  5. last — final
  6. last — to go on
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. plane — a tool
  9. row — to paddle
  10. wound — an injury
  11. last — finally
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. wound — an injury
  14. spell — a short time
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. firm — steady
  17. present — there
  18. firm — a company
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. present — a gift
  22. present — the time now
  23. spell — letters
  24. row — a quarrel

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