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

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. hand — in cards
  4. land — ground
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. stock — goods
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. hand — help
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. land — to come down
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. stock — shares
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. land — a country

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