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 120 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 sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. cell — a phone
  5. wind — moving air
  6. track — to keep track
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. staff — employees
  9. cell — in biology
  10. mate — a friend
  11. track — a song
  12. wind — moving air
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. mate — to breed
  17. staff — employees
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. staff — a stick
  20. dip — to sink
  21. branch — a division
  22. track — a path
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. mate — a partner

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