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 116 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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. track — a path
  5. rest — a break
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. stock — shares
  8. hand — help
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. track — to keep track
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. hand — in cards
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. stock — goods
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. rest — what's left
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. rest — what's left

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