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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. wind — moving air
  3. object — a thing
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. prune — to trim
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. wind — moving air
  14. fine — high quality
  15. object — an aim
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. mine — for digging
  21. prune — to trim
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. object — to protest
  24. fine — a penalty

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