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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. root — the cause
  7. hand — in cards
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. root — of a word
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. rock — music
  13. lie — to recline
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. hand — help
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. root — of a plant
  21. dip — to sink
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. rock — a stone
  24. dip — a sauce

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