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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. cue — for pool
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. mug — a face
  5. spell — magic
  6. spell — letters
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. bound — tied together
  9. bound — obliged
  10. mug — to rob
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. mug — a cup
  13. spell — a short time
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. cue — a hint
  16. shower — rain
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. saw — the tool
  19. pound — a weight
  20. shower — to wash
  21. bound — certain
  22. cue — a signal
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. pound — to hit hard

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