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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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. row — a line
  3. spring — a coil
  4. spring — of water
  5. press — to push
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. net — in sport
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. net — after costs
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. row — to paddle
  15. press — newspapers
  16. net — for catching
  17. ball — a great time
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. spring — the season
  20. press — a publisher
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. ball — a dance
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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