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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. season — in sport
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. saw — the tool
  5. bass — low music
  6. saw — the tool
  7. season — of the year
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. drill — a practice
  14. bass — the fish
  15. sharp — clever
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. pass — a permit
  20. drill — the tool
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. drill — army training
  24. sharp — with an edge

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