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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. cap — a lid
  3. mate — to breed
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. club — for dancing
  10. mate — a partner
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. cap — of ice
  13. club — for golf
  14. cap — a hat
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. face — to confront
  19. tear — to rip
  20. mate — a friend
  21. face — to point toward
  22. tear — from crying
  23. club — a group
  24. face — part of the head

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