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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. clip — a video
  4. pound — a weight
  5. roll — a cake
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. clip — for paper
  9. roll — a list
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. key — for a lock
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. craft — boats
  15. key — in music
  16. craft — a skill
  17. dip — to sink
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. key — the most important part
  21. clip — to cut
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. roll — on a roll

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