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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. spell — a short time
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. row — a line
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. spell — magic
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. craft — boats
  10. root — the cause
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. root — of a plant
  13. drill — a practice
  14. mark — a grade
  15. spell — letters
  16. row — to paddle
  17. root — of a word
  18. craft — a skill
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. mark — a trace
  21. wake — a trail
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. drill — army training

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