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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. spring — of water
  4. firm — a company
  5. object — to protest
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bass — low music
  8. object — a thing
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. root — of a word
  11. spring — a coil
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. bass — the fish
  15. lie — to recline
  16. root — the cause
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. object — an aim
  19. root — of a plant
  20. spring — the season
  21. cold — not warm
  22. firm — steady
  23. cold — an illness
  24. lie — an untruth

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