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 116 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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. mug — a cup
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. mug — to rob
  7. mug — a face
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. wake — a trail
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. branch — a division
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. pound — a weight
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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