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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. craft — a skill
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. stock — shares
  7. craft — boats
  8. tube — a container
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. mine — for digging
  12. mark — a grade
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. tube — the underground
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. wake — a trail
  17. stock — goods
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. mark — a trace
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. mark — to pay attention

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