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: bank · firm · content · spring · cap · staff · mate · wind

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. cap — of ice
  3. wind — moving air
  4. firm — a company
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. spring — the season
  7. mate — to breed
  8. staff — employees
  9. spring — a coil
  10. firm — steady
  11. staff — a stick
  12. bank — for money
  13. bank — of a river
  14. content — happy
  15. mate — a partner
  16. staff — employees
  17. bank — for money
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. spring — of water
  20. wind — moving air
  21. cap — a lid
  22. cap — a hat
  23. mate — a friend
  24. content — the amount

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