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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. ground — the earth
  3. ground — crushed
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. cue — a hint
  8. press — a publisher
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. cue — for pool
  11. snap — to click
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. press — to push
  15. date — the fruit
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bear — the animal
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. press — newspapers
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. cue — a signal
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. ground — a position

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