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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. current — happening now
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. firm — a company
  5. ground — crushed
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. current — of water
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. current — electric
  11. firm — decided
  12. tear — to rip
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. ground — the earth
  15. clip — a video
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. tear — from crying
  18. clip — for paper
  19. suit — clothes
  20. suit — in cards
  21. ground — a position
  22. suit — to fit
  23. firm — steady
  24. clip — to cut

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