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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. mark — a grade
  4. present — a gift
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. prune — to trim
  7. face — to confront
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. face — to point toward
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. present — there
  12. ball — a great time
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. prune — to trim
  16. mug — a face
  17. mug — a cup
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. mug — to rob
  21. face — part of the head
  22. present — the time now
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. mark — a trace

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