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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. rock — a stone
  5. pop — to visit
  6. ball — a great time
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. ball — a dance
  9. craft — a skill
  10. rock — music
  11. face — part of the head
  12. face — to confront
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. craft — boats
  18. face — to point toward
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. snap — to click
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. pop — soda
  24. pop — 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