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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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. branch — a division
  3. present — a gift
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. pitch — completely
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. present — there
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. content — happy
  12. staff — a stick
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. staff — employees
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. perch — the fish
  21. content — the amount
  22. staff — employees
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. present — the time now

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