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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. bore — to tire
  3. rest — a break
  4. spring — of water
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. bore — to drill
  7. fall — to drop
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. spring — a coil
  11. fall — the season
  12. spring — the season
  13. firm — a company
  14. rest — what's left
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. firm — decided
  17. rest — what's left
  18. sharp — clever
  19. toast — bread
  20. fall — to drop
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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