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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. bark — to shout
  3. firm — a company
  4. firm — steady
  5. firm — decided
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. ball — a great time
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. ball — a dance
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. wake — a trail
  20. snap — to click
  21. fine — high quality
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. kick — in football
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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