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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. bear — the animal
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. mark — a grade
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. club — for golf
  9. club — for dancing
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. bear — the animal
  13. content — the amount
  14. mark — a trace
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. content — happy
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. bear — to put up with

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