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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. firm — steady
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. spring — of water
  8. game — wild animals
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. spring — a coil
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. game — a match
  13. spring — the season
  14. ground — crushed
  15. ball — a dance
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. ground — the earth
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. pound — a weight
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. ground — a position
  23. firm — a company
  24. ball — a great time

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