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 116 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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. lean — thin
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. drill — a practice
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. lean — to bend
  8. drill — the tool
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. stock — goods
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. drill — army training
  17. stock — shares
  18. leaves — to go away

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