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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. mug — to rob
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. ball — a great time
  7. mug — a cup
  8. ball — a dance
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. shower — rain
  11. season — in sport
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. object — an aim
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. suit — clothes
  16. object — a thing
  17. suit — in cards
  18. pound — a weight
  19. mug — a face
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. season — of the year
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. suit — to fit
  24. shower — to wash

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