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 goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. snap — to click
  3. last — to go on
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. pound — a weight
  6. firm — decided
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. firm — a company
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. dip — to sink
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. bank — of a river
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. bank — for money
  19. last — final
  20. bank — for money
  21. last — finally
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. firm — steady
  24. pound — to hit hard

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