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 120 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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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. bay — a part of the sea
  4. can — a tin
  5. stock — shares
  6. tube — a container
  7. fork — in a road
  8. hand — help
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. tube — the underground
  11. rest — a break
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. drill — the tool
  15. stock — goods
  16. drill — army training
  17. can — to be able to
  18. hand — in cards
  19. rest — what's left
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. drill — a practice
  22. rest — what's left
  23. can — a tin
  24. stock — a soup base

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