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 120 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 ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. bound — tied together
  3. dip — to sink
  4. bound — obliged
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. chest — of your body
  9. ball — a great time
  10. tear — to rip
  11. tear — from crying
  12. row — a line
  13. bound — certain
  14. rock — music
  15. ball — a dance
  16. tear — from crying
  17. chest — a box
  18. chest — of your body
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. rock — a stone
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. row — to paddle

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