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 124 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: clip · staff · bay · bound · stand · firm · lie · squash

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. squash — the sport
  3. clip — for paper
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. bound — certain
  6. lie — to recline
  7. firm — steady
  8. clip — to cut
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. stand — to bear
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. bound — obliged
  13. firm — a company
  14. bound — tied together
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. squash — to crush
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. clip — a video
  20. staff — employees
  21. staff — employees
  22. staff — a stick
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. squash — the vegetable

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