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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. mug — to rob
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. drill — a practice
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. drill — the tool
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. drill — army training
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. mug — a cup
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. mug — a face
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. jam — in traffic

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