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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. spell — letters
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. bore — to tire
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. spell — magic
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. kid — child
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. lie — to recline
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. spell — a short time
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. kid — to tease
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. plane — a tool
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. lie — an untruth

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