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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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. club — a group
  3. mug — a cup
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. club — for dancing
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. squash — to crush
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. mug — a face
  12. club — for golf
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. squash — the sport
  19. game — a match
  20. rush — hurry
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. mug — to rob
  23. game — wild animals
  24. perch — the fish

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