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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. ground — crushed
  7. pass — a permit
  8. current — electric
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. wake — a trail
  11. ground — a position
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. current — of water
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. current — happening now
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. ground — the earth
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. coach — a trainer

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