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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. ground — crushed
  7. bound — certain
  8. foot — a measure
  9. bound — tied together
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. mate — a friend
  12. chip — to eat
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. ground — the earth
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. chip — for betting
  17. bound — obliged
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. ground — a position
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. mate — to breed

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