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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. tube — the underground
  4. ground — crushed
  5. ground — a position
  6. game — wild animals
  7. rush — hurry
  8. firm — a company
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. rule — government
  14. ground — the earth
  15. firm — decided
  16. rule — a law
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. game — a match
  19. firm — steady
  20. bass — low music
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. tube — a container
  24. calf — of the leg

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