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 120 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'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. rest — a break
  4. object — a thing
  5. squash — the sport
  6. object — an aim
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. rush — hurry
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. land — to come down
  11. squash — to crush
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. shower — rain
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. shower — to wash
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. land — a country
  21. object — to protest
  22. rest — what's left
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. rest — what's left

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