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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. season — in sport
  10. date — the fruit
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. kick — in football
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. season — of the year
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. deal — to handle
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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