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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. file — a document
  3. current — of water
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. mug — to rob
  6. firm — a company
  7. degree — an amount
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. tube — the underground
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. mug — a face
  13. current — happening now
  14. file — a tool
  15. capital — money
  16. firm — decided
  17. tube — a container
  18. capital — a city
  19. degree — from a university
  20. firm — steady
  21. mug — a cup
  22. current — electric
  23. degree — temperature
  24. file — a line of people

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