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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mug · dip · wave · club · capital · ball · firm · stick

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. firm — decided
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. capital — money
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. dip — to sink
  8. mug — a face
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. club — a group
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. mug — a cup
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. firm — steady
  17. firm — a company
  18. ball — a great time
  19. mug — to rob
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. ball — a dance
  22. club — for dancing
  23. capital — a city
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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