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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lie — to recline
  4. season — of the year
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. chip — for betting
  7. file — a tool
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. file — a line of people
  11. chip — to eat
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. file — a document
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. rock — music
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. mine — for digging
  21. rock — a stone
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. pitcher — a jug

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