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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. pass — a permit
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. wake — a trail
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. pop — music
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. pop — to visit
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. pound — a weight
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. cap — a lid
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. pop — soda
  21. cap — a hat
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. cap — of ice
  24. pound — to hit hard

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