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 soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. fine — high quality
  3. wound — an injury
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. lean — thin
  6. firm — steady
  7. firm — decided
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. drill — a practice
  13. firm — a company
  14. drill — the tool
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. fine — all right
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. row — to paddle
  19. wake — a trail
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. wound — an injury
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. lean — to bend
  24. row — a line

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