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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. fine — all right
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. tear — from crying
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. tear — to rip
  8. squash — to crush
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. staff — employees
  12. sharp — clever
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. fine — high quality
  16. tear — from crying
  17. staff — employees
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. game — a match
  20. game — wild animals
  21. bark — to shout
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. squash — the sport
  24. staff — a stick

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