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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. club — for golf
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bear — the animal
  8. wax — to grow
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. club — for dancing
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. perch — the fish
  16. date — the fruit
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. lie — to recline
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. bear — the animal
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. hide — to keep secret

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