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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. firm — a company
  4. swing — in golf
  5. object — an aim
  6. bank — for money
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. stock — goods
  10. date — the fruit
  11. object — a thing
  12. bank — of a river
  13. object — to protest
  14. bank — for money
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. swing — music
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. stock — shares
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. firm — decided
  21. scale — size or range
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. swing — to play on
  24. scale — in music

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