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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. charge — in control
  6. shower — rain
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. craft — boats
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. charge — electricity
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. craft — a skill
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. wake — a trail
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. wax — to grow
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. charge — a price

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