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. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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. bound — certain
  3. bound — obliged
  4. pitch — completely
  5. current — happening now
  6. present — a gift
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. bound — tied together
  11. current — electric
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. perch — the fish
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. current — of water
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. present — there
  24. present — the time now

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