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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. march — the month
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. rule — a law
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. rule — government
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. tube — a container
  16. tube — the underground
  17. march — the month
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. plane — a tool
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. march — music
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. tube — in a tire

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