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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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. drill — the tool
  3. pitch — completely
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. roll — a list
  7. drill — army training
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. spring — of water
  10. drill — a practice
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. roll — a cake
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. spring — a coil
  16. dip — to sink
  17. spring — the season
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. ball — a dance
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. ball — a great time
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. roll — on a roll

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