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 hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. spring — the season
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. pitch — completely
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. net — for catching
  8. bore — to tire
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. spring — a coil
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. bore — to drill
  15. chip — to eat
  16. net — in sport
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. chip — for betting
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. net — after costs
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. leaves — to go away

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