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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. 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. game — wild animals
  2. mark — a grade
  3. mug — a face
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. mark — a trace
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. drill — the tool
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. drill — army training
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. drill — a practice
  16. shower — to wash
  17. stand — to bear
  18. shower — rain
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. mug — to rob
  22. game — a match
  23. mug — a cup
  24. 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