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 120 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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. chest — a box
  4. scale — size or range
  5. mark — a grade
  6. mark — a trace
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. saw — the tool
  9. branch — a division
  10. cue — for pool
  11. chest — of your body
  12. scale — in music
  13. firm — steady
  14. saw — the tool
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. chest — of your body
  19. cue — a hint
  20. firm — a company
  21. cue — a signal
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. pound — a weight

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