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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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. pit — a hole
  3. perch — the fish
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rest — what's left
  6. press — a publisher
  7. saw — the tool
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. face — to confront
  12. face — to point toward
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. rest — a break
  16. pit — in a race
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. saw — the tool
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. face — part of the head
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. press — newspapers
  24. press — to push

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