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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. kid — child
  4. game — a match
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. fine — all right
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. game — wild animals
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. kid — to tease
  16. fork — in a road
  17. fine — high quality
  18. bay — a part of the sea

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