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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. present — the time now
  5. net — in sport
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. net — after costs
  8. track — a song
  9. lean — to bend
  10. board — a committee
  11. present — there
  12. lean — thin
  13. board — to get on
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. present — a gift
  17. dip — to sink
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. net — for catching
  22. track — to keep track
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. calf — a young animal

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