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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. firm — steady
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. wind — moving air
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. firm — a company
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. fork — in a road
  10. pitch — completely
  11. spring — of water
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. staff — employees
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. wind — moving air
  20. wake — a trail
  21. staff — employees
  22. staff — a stick
  23. firm — decided
  24. spring — the season

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