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 124 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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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. plane — in geometry
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. wound — an injury
  6. ground — crushed
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. ground — the earth
  11. bear — the animal
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. vault — a safe
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. plane — a tool
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. wound — an injury
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. ground — a position
  24. bear — the animal

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