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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. suit — in cards
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. key — the most important part
  5. firm — decided
  6. suit — to fit
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. club — for dancing
  9. suit — clothes
  10. key — for a lock
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. firm — a company
  13. firm — steady
  14. key — in music
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. pitch — completely
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. club — for golf
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. club — a group
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. wound — an injury
  24. trunk — of a tree

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