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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. bass — low music
  3. court — for sport
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. cap — a hat
  6. net — for catching
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. cap — of ice
  10. net — after costs
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. cell — a phone
  13. drill — the tool
  14. cap — a lid
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. drill — a practice
  17. cell — in biology
  18. net — in sport
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. court — of law
  22. drill — army training
  23. court — of a king
  24. bass — the fish

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