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 hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. ball — a dance
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. craft — boats
  8. hand — in cards
  9. craft — a skill
  10. bulb — for light
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. fork — in a road
  13. degree — an amount
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. ball — a great time
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. bulb — for light
  22. hand — help
  23. degree — temperature
  24. degree — from a university

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