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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. prune — to trim
  5. stand — to bear
  6. cue — a signal
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. cue — a hint
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. vault — a safe
  14. cap — a hat
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. bark — to shout
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. cap — a lid
  21. prune — to trim
  22. cap — of ice
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. prune — the fruit

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