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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. bore — to tire
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. tear — to rip
  6. bank — for money
  7. key — for a lock
  8. bank — of a river
  9. bank — for money
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. bore — to drill
  14. tear — from crying
  15. tear — from crying
  16. mark — a grade
  17. game — a match
  18. key — in music
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. mark — a trace
  23. key — the most important part
  24. game — wild animals

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