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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. bear — the animal
  3. present — there
  4. cold — the Cold War
  5. can — a tin
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. cold — an illness
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. staff — employees
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. staff — employees
  12. can — to be able to
  13. staff — a stick
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. can — a tin
  16. cold — not warm
  17. mark — a grade
  18. bear — the animal
  19. file — a tool
  20. mark — a trace
  21. file — a document
  22. present — the time now
  23. file — a line of people
  24. present — a gift

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