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. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. content — the amount
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. firm — decided
  9. object — a thing
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. object — to protest
  13. foot — a measure
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. firm — a company
  17. firm — steady
  18. deal — to handle
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. pitch — completely
  24. object — an aim

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