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 124 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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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. chair — a professorship
  3. field — for sport
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. chair — a leader
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. key — the most important part
  9. kick — in football
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. wax — to grow
  13. present — there
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. field — a subject
  16. field — farmland
  17. key — for a lock
  18. content — the amount
  19. present — a gift
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. present — the time now
  22. content — happy
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. key — in music

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