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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. face — to point toward
  3. pop — soda
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. pop — music
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. cue — for pool
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. scale — in music
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. roll — a list
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. pop — to visit
  16. cue — a hint
  17. face — part of the head
  18. cue — a signal
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. scale — size or range
  22. face — to confront
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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