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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. net — in sport
  3. cap — a hat
  4. cap — of ice
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. net — for catching
  9. saw — the tool
  10. cap — a lid
  11. saw — the tool
  12. track — a path
  13. net — after costs
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. track — to keep track
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. wake — a trail
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. track — a song
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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