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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. root — of a plant
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. club — a group
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. club — for dancing
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. stock — shares
  12. wake — a trail
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. root — of a word
  16. craft — a skill
  17. stock — goods
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. root — the cause
  20. craft — boats
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. wound — an injury
  23. club — for golf
  24. wound — an injury

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