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 116 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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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. shower — rain
  3. deal — to handle
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. land — ground
  7. cue — for pool
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. land — a country
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. dip — to sink
  15. can — to be able to
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. can — a tin
  20. cue — a signal
  21. cue — a hint
  22. shower — to wash
  23. can — a tin
  24. land — to come down

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