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. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. cold — an illness
  3. firm — a company
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. firm — steady
  6. can — a tin
  7. ball — a dance
  8. fine — all right
  9. ball — a great time
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. cold — not warm
  12. swing — in golf
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. wound — an injury
  15. fine — high quality
  16. firm — decided
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. swing — to play on
  20. swing — music
  21. foot — a measure
  22. can — to be able to
  23. wound — an injury
  24. can — a tin

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