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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. swing — to play on
  6. mate — a partner
  7. scale — size or range
  8. wake — a trail
  9. board — to get on
  10. board — a committee
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. firm — decided
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. last — final
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. mate — to breed
  18. scale — in music
  19. swing — in golf
  20. mate — a friend
  21. firm — steady
  22. swing — music
  23. last — to go on
  24. firm — a company

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