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 120 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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. drill — army training
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. mark — a trace
  9. track — a song
  10. spell — a short time
  11. staff — employees
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. mark — a grade
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. track — to keep track
  17. track — a path
  18. staff — a stick
  19. drill — the tool
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. drill — a practice
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. spell — magic
  24. spell — letters

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