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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. bank — of a river
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. pop — music
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. pass — a permit
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. ground — the earth
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. bank — for money
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. pop — to visit
  16. ground — crushed
  17. snap — to click
  18. bank — for money
  19. squash — the sport
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. ground — a position
  22. squash — to crush
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. pass — to succeed

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