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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. net — for catching
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. mug — a face
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. shower — rain
  10. net — after costs
  11. chip — to eat
  12. mug — a cup
  13. shower — to wash
  14. chip — for betting
  15. wound — an injury
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. object — to protest
  18. wound — an injury
  19. net — in sport
  20. last — finally
  21. last — to go on
  22. last — final
  23. object — an aim
  24. mug — to rob

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