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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. lie — to recline
  3. spell — magic
  4. kid — child
  5. season — of the year
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. spell — letters
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. season — in sport
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. rule — government
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. press — newspapers
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. wax — to grow
  17. spell — a short time
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. press — to push
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. kid — to tease
  23. rule — a law
  24. press — a publisher

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