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 cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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. prune — to trim
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. foot — a measure
  5. drill — the tool
  6. pop — to visit
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. prune — to trim
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. pop — music
  12. degree — from a university
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. degree — temperature
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. pop — soda
  19. degree — an amount
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. drill — army training
  22. drill — a practice
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. foot — the bottom

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