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: bass · fall · last · safe · cabinet · ball · firm · content

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. ball — a dance
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. fall — to drop
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. last — final
  9. last — to go on
  10. content — the amount
  11. firm — decided
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. firm — a company
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. last — finally
  16. content — happy
  17. bass — the fish
  18. ball — a great time
  19. fall — the season
  20. fall — to drop
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. bass — low music
  24. safe — out of danger

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