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 124 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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. file — a document
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. file — a line of people
  8. season — of the year
  9. spring — the season
  10. spring — a coil
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. craft — boats
  13. mine — for digging
  14. season — in sport
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. suit — clothes
  17. file — a tool
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. spring — of water
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. suit — to fit
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. craft — a skill
  24. pass — a permit

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