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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. rock — a stone
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. face — to point toward
  8. face — to confront
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. net — for catching
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. mine — for digging
  13. face — part of the head
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. net — after costs
  16. spring — a coil
  17. spring — of water
  18. march — the month
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. rock — music
  21. spring — the season
  22. march — the month
  23. net — in sport
  24. march — music

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