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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. firm — a company
  4. present — a gift
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. firm — decided
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. present — there
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. lean — to bend
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. lean — thin
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. pit — a hole
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. firm — steady
  19. land — ground
  20. pit — in a race
  21. rock — a stone
  22. land — to come down
  23. land — a country
  24. rock — 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