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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. drill — the tool
  4. pitch — completely
  5. firm — a company
  6. fine — high quality
  7. mate — a friend
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. mug — a face
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. fine — all right
  12. root — of a word
  13. firm — steady
  14. sharp — clever
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. mate — a partner
  17. root — the cause
  18. mate — to breed
  19. mug — to rob
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. drill — a practice
  22. firm — decided
  23. drill — army training
  24. root — of a plant

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