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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. key — in music
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. key — the most important part
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. key — for a lock
  8. degree — temperature
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. dip — to sink
  11. wake — a trail
  12. wound — an injury
  13. club — for dancing
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. degree — from a university
  17. degree — an amount
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. club — a group
  20. pitch — completely
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. wound — an injury
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. club — for golf

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