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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. face — part of the head
  3. firm — decided
  4. firm — steady
  5. branch — a division
  6. content — happy
  7. bass — the fish
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. chip — to eat
  10. pound — a weight
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. face — to confront
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. firm — a company
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. chip — for betting
  18. bass — low music
  19. mug — a cup
  20. face — to point toward
  21. mug — a face
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. content — the amount

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