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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. last — finally
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. lean — to bend
  6. bound — tied together
  7. ground — crushed
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. ground — a position
  12. last — final
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. lean — thin
  15. bound — obliged
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. ground — the earth
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. rock — music
  21. rock — a stone
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. bound — certain

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