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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. board — to get on
  3. pop — music
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. craft — boats
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. bulb — for light
  9. board — a committee
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. last — final
  12. craft — a skill
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. last — finally
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. pass — a permit
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. pop — soda
  22. pop — to visit
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. bulb — of a plant

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