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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  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. net — in sport
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. bore — to drill
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. net — after costs
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. wake — a trail
  9. club — for golf
  10. bore — to tire
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. club — for dancing
  13. net — for catching
  14. mark — a grade
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. club — a group
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. tube — the underground
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. tube — a container
  23. mark — a trace
  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