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 116 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 looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. wound — an injury
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. root — of a plant
  5. rash — a series
  6. rash — hasty
  7. mate — to breed
  8. field — for sport
  9. ball — a dance
  10. firm — a company
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. root — of a word
  13. mate — a friend
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. root — the cause
  16. ball — a great time
  17. field — a subject
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. field — farmland
  20. mate — a partner
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. firm — steady
  23. wound — an injury
  24. calf — of the leg

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