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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. mark — a grade
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. mark — a trace
  7. face — to point toward
  8. firm — decided
  9. firm — steady
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. face — to confront
  12. rock — music
  13. clip — to cut
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. wind — moving air
  16. clip — for paper
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. face — part of the head
  19. wind — moving air
  20. clip — a video
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. rock — a stone
  24. rush — hurry

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