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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. fine — high quality
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. chair — a leader
  8. cell — a phone
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. net — in sport
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. fine — all right
  14. track — a song
  15. net — after costs
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. craft — boats
  18. track — a path
  19. cell — in biology
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. net — for catching
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. craft — a skill

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