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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. track — a song
  3. press — newspapers
  4. kid — child
  5. clip — for paper
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. clip — a video
  9. track — to keep track
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. track — a path
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. clip — to cut
  14. press — to push
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. bear — the animal
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. kid — to tease
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. press — a publisher
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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