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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. hand — help
  3. degree — an amount
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. firm — steady
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. hand — in cards
  10. sharp — clever
  11. degree — temperature
  12. firm — a company
  13. degree — from a university
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. rock — music
  16. rock — a stone
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. bark — to shout
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. firm — decided
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. sharp — exactly

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