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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. stock — goods
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. face — to confront
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. stock — shares
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. face — part of the head
  17. chair — a leader
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. face — to point toward
  24. straw — dry grass

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