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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. rest — a break
  7. spell — a short time
  8. chair — a leader
  9. rest — what's left
  10. ball — a dance
  11. spell — letters
  12. present — the time now
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. ball — a great time
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. present — there
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. present — a gift
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. spell — magic
  24. rest — what's left

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