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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. degree — temperature
  6. pass — a permit
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. degree — an amount
  9. can — to be able to
  10. row — a line
  11. net — for catching
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. net — after costs
  14. wake — a trail
  15. net — in sport
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. can — a tin
  18. degree — from a university
  19. can — a tin
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. rock — music
  22. row — to paddle
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. pass — to spend time

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