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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. stock — goods
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. firm — steady
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. firm — decided
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. firm — a company
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. mine — for digging
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. spell — letters
  15. stock — shares
  16. press — newspapers
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. press — to push
  19. stand — to bear
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. spell — a short time
  23. press — a publisher
  24. spell — magic

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