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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bound — tied together
  4. fall — to drop
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. wind — moving air
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. bound — certain
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. bank — of a river
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. squash — the sport
  14. wind — moving air
  15. bank — for money
  16. fall — the season
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. bank — for money
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. fall — to drop
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. bound — obliged
  23. dip — to sink
  24. squash — to crush

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