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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. present — there
  4. cue — a hint
  5. pop — music
  6. pop — soda
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. pop — to visit
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. present — a gift
  12. present — the time now
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. wind — moving air
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. cue — a signal
  18. wax — to grow
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. wind — moving air
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. cue — for pool
  24. rock — a stone

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