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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. land — ground
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. perch — the fish
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. mark — a trace
  10. craft — a skill
  11. land — to come down
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. craft — boats
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. mark — a grade
  22. land — a country
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. snap — to click

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