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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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. suit — clothes
  3. row — a line
  4. season — of the year
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. suit — in cards
  8. season — in sport
  9. suit — to fit
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. object — to protest
  12. pound — a weight
  13. object — a thing
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. object — an aim
  19. wax — to grow
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. row — to paddle

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