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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. firm — decided
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. lean — thin
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. stock — shares
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. cell — a phone
  11. bound — obliged
  12. lean — to bend
  13. cell — in biology
  14. rock — a stone
  15. firm — a company
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. rock — music
  19. kick — in football
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. firm — steady
  23. bound — tied together
  24. stock — goods

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