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. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. court — of a king
  4. land — to come down
  5. root — the cause
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. land — a country
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. court — of law
  12. foot — a measure
  13. land — ground
  14. snap — to click
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. court — for sport
  17. root — of a word
  18. spell — letters
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. spell — magic
  21. root — of a plant
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. spell — a short time

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