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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. mate — to breed
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. cue — for pool
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. cue — a signal
  7. cue — a hint
  8. capital — a city
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. capital — money
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. plane — a tool
  13. rush — hurry
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. mate — a partner
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. bear — the animal
  19. fine — high quality
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. fine — all right
  22. mate — a friend
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bear — to put up with

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