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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. firm — steady
  3. wound — an injury
  4. wound — an injury
  5. mate — a partner
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. saw — the tool
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. firm — a company
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. track — a song
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. squash — to crush
  15. track — to keep track
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. squash — the sport
  18. saw — the tool
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. track — a path
  21. firm — decided
  22. mate — a friend
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. mate — to breed

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