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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. lean — to bend
  3. wake — a trail
  4. lean — thin
  5. saw — the tool
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. saw — the tool
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. suit — clothes
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. bark — to shout
  15. mine — for digging
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. suit — to fit
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. bay — a horse colour

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