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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. spring — a coil
  3. spring — of water
  4. rock — music
  5. spring — the season
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. stock — goods
  8. stock — shares
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. cue — a hint
  11. saw — the tool
  12. swing — to play on
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. swing — music
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. cue — for pool
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. swing — in golf
  21. rock — a stone
  22. lie — to recline
  23. saw — the tool
  24. cue — a signal

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