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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. suit — in cards
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. hand — help
  6. suit — to fit
  7. ground — crushed
  8. field — for sport
  9. pass — a permit
  10. firm — steady
  11. ground — the earth
  12. ground — a position
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. hand — in cards
  15. field — a subject
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. field — farmland
  18. vault — a safe
  19. bear — the animal
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. suit — clothes
  22. firm — a company
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bear — to put up with

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