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 don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. shower — rain
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. chair — a leader
  6. pitch — completely
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. rock — a stone
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. stock — goods
  16. shower — to wash
  17. rock — music
  18. stock — shares
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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