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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. band — a ring
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. cue — for pool
  6. cue — a hint
  7. band — a music group
  8. drill — the tool
  9. fall — to drop
  10. ground — the earth
  11. fall — the season
  12. root — of a word
  13. ground — a position
  14. ground — crushed
  15. fall — to drop
  16. drill — army training
  17. cue — a signal
  18. root — of a plant
  19. craft — boats
  20. craft — a skill
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. root — the cause
  24. drill — a practice

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