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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. suit — clothes
  4. ball — a great time
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. suit — in cards
  7. ball — a dance
  8. ground — a position
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. ground — the earth
  15. dip — to sink
  16. bat — the animal
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. ground — crushed
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. suit — to fit
  24. bowl — a football final

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