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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. mate — a partner
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. cap — a lid
  7. cap — a hat
  8. shower — rain
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. track — a song
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. mate — a friend
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. cap — of ice
  16. mate — to breed
  17. scale — in music
  18. shower — to wash
  19. track — to keep track
  20. scale — size or range
  21. track — a path
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. safe — out of danger

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