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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. saw — the tool
  3. object — an aim
  4. rash — a series
  5. foot — a measure
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. saw — the tool
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. race — humankind
  12. mine — for digging
  13. object — to protest
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. race — the arms race
  20. rash — hasty
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. object — a thing
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. race — a contest

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