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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. cap — of ice
  3. land — ground
  4. firm — steady
  5. present — the time now
  6. land — to come down
  7. dip — to sink
  8. present — there
  9. perch — the fish
  10. chest — of your body
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. chest — of your body
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. present — a gift
  15. land — a country
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. cap — a hat
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. cap — a lid
  22. chest — a box
  23. firm — a company
  24. perch — for a bird

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