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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. bulb — for light
  7. tear — from crying
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. mate — to breed
  10. swing — music
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. tear — to rip
  13. swing — to play on
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. mate — a partner
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. swing — in golf
  18. wind — moving air
  19. mate — a friend
  20. bulb — for light
  21. pound — a weight
  22. wind — moving air
  23. wake — a trail
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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