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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. object — an aim
  3. shower — rain
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. key — in music
  6. ground — crushed
  7. ground — a position
  8. ground — the earth
  9. object — to protest
  10. scale — size or range
  11. squash — to crush
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. key — the most important part
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. key — for a lock
  16. firm — a company
  17. shower — to wash
  18. object — a thing
  19. squash — the sport
  20. firm — decided
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. scale — in music
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. hide — animal skin

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