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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. game — wild animals
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. game — a match
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. track — to keep track
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. content — the amount
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. track — a path
  20. kick — in football
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. content — happy

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