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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. bank — for money
  4. foot — a measure
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. stand — to bear
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. kid — to tease
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. perch — the fish
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. prune — to trim
  16. kid — child
  17. bank — of a river
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. bank — for money
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. prune — to trim

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