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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. dip — to sink
  5. staff — a stick
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. firm — a company
  8. last — finally
  9. staff — employees
  10. last — final
  11. firm — decided
  12. last — to go on
  13. fork — in a road
  14. pitch — completely
  15. firm — steady
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. foot — a measure
  18. track — a path
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. track — to keep track
  24. track — a song

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