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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. fine — high quality
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. track — a song
  6. firm — steady
  7. track — a path
  8. rash — a series
  9. march — music
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. mine — for digging
  14. firm — a company
  15. march — the month
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. fine — all right
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. track — to keep track
  22. wake — a trail
  23. rash — hasty
  24. march — the month

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