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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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. perch — for a bird
  3. mug — to rob
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. wind — moving air
  6. hand — in cards
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. wound — an injury
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. perch — the fish
  12. squash — the sport
  13. mug — a face
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. wind — moving air
  16. hand — help
  17. squash — to crush
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. mug — a cup
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. wound — an injury
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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