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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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. tube — the underground
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. mine — for digging
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. cue — a signal
  7. march — the month
  8. cue — a hint
  9. ball — a great time
  10. root — of a plant
  11. cue — for pool
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. root — of a word
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. tube — a container
  19. march — the month
  20. ball — a dance
  21. march — music
  22. root — the cause
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. sharp — clever

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