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. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. chest — of your body
  3. wound — an injury
  4. net — for catching
  5. net — after costs
  6. mate — a partner
  7. chest — a box
  8. toast — bread
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. firm — decided
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. wound — an injury
  17. sharp — clever
  18. firm — a company
  19. mate — to breed
  20. mate — a friend
  21. net — in sport
  22. pit — in a race
  23. firm — steady
  24. pit — a hole

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