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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. object — a thing
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. mine — for digging
  11. rock — music
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. object — to protest
  20. rock — a stone
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. rush — hurry
  23. stem — to come from
  24. object — an aim

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