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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. mug — a cup
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. mug — a face
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. firm — steady
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. bound — tied together
  10. dip — to sink
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. mug — to rob
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. cold — an illness
  15. bound — obliged
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. bound — certain
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. cold — not warm
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. firm — decided
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. cold — the Cold War
  24. hide — to keep secret

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