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 120 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 got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. last — final
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. pit — a hole
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. last — finally
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. game — wild animals
  11. last — to go on
  12. can — a tin
  13. can — to be able to
  14. hand — help
  15. pit — in a race
  16. game — a match
  17. can — a tin
  18. chair — a leader
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. nail — for a hammer

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