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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. file — a line of people
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. content — the amount
  6. mark — a grade
  7. wound — an injury
  8. firm — steady
  9. wound — an injury
  10. firm — decided
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. mark — a trace
  13. cell — a phone
  14. content — happy
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. file — a tool
  17. cell — in biology
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. firm — a company
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. file — a document
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. temple — a place of worship

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