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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. season — in sport
  3. bound — certain
  4. tear — from crying
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. bound — tied together
  11. track — a song
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. tear — from crying
  14. track — a path
  15. dip — to sink
  16. pitch — completely
  17. track — to keep track
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. bound — obliged
  21. tear — to rip
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. season — of the year
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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