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 124 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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. firm — a company
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. clip — for paper
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. firm — steady
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. rash — a series
  19. clip — to cut
  20. clip — a video
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. kick — in football
  23. rash — hasty
  24. lie — to recline

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