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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  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. net — for catching
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. net — after costs
  5. net — in sport
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. ground — a position
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. row — to paddle
  11. key — in music
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. row — a line
  14. key — for a lock
  15. bulb — for light
  16. key — the most important part
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. ground — the earth
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. ground — crushed
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. calf — a young animal
  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