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 120 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 ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. firm — decided
  3. can — a tin
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. craft — boats
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. can — a tin
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. firm — a company
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. can — to be able to
  18. bass — low music
  19. bass — the fish
  20. firm — steady
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. bat — the animal
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. craft — a skill

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