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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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. mug — a cup
  3. can — a tin
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. can — a tin
  7. dip — to sink
  8. firm — decided
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. can — to be able to
  12. land — a country
  13. row — a line
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. land — ground
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. mug — to rob
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. firm — steady
  20. row — to paddle
  21. firm — a company
  22. mug — a face
  23. land — to come down
  24. calf — a young 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