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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. firm — steady
  5. pit — in a race
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. craft — a skill
  9. mine — for digging
  10. pit — a hole
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. mate — a friend
  13. mate — to breed
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. craft — boats
  16. deal — to handle
  17. firm — decided
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. firm — a company
  22. row — a line
  23. mate — a partner
  24. row — to paddle

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