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

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. game — a match
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. club — for golf
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. club — a group
  14. game — wild animals
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. club — for dancing
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. hide — to keep secret

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