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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. firm — steady
  3. firm — a company
  4. march — music
  5. march — the month
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. file — a document
  10. file — a tool
  11. snap — to click
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. bat — the animal
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. march — the month
  18. file — a line of people
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. firm — decided
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. bat — for baseball

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