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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. land — ground
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. firm — a company
  8. staff — a stick
  9. land — to come down
  10. firm — steady
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. land — a country
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. staff — employees
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. staff — employees
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. vault — a safe
  23. mine — for digging
  24. straw — a straw man

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