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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. land — to come down
  6. pound — a weight
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. bat — the animal
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. season — in sport
  18. land — a country
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. land — ground
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. dip — to sink
  24. season — of the year

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