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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. field — farmland
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. cue — a hint
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. sharp — clever
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. cue — a signal
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. key — for a lock
  14. cue — for pool
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. field — a subject
  19. season — of the year
  20. key — the most important part
  21. field — for sport
  22. date — the fruit
  23. key — in music
  24. season — in sport

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