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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. ball — a dance
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. rest — what's left
  9. scale — size or range
  10. ball — a great time
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. track — a song
  17. track — a path
  18. track — to keep track
  19. current — happening now
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. rest — what's left
  22. scale — in music
  23. current — electric
  24. current — of water

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