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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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. squash — the vegetable
  3. bat — the animal
  4. squash — the sport
  5. bore — to drill
  6. bound — tied together
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. bound — certain
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. bound — obliged
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. prune — to trim
  18. bore — to tire
  19. squash — to crush
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. prune — to trim
  22. rush — hurry
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. bat — in an idiom

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