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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. suit — in cards
  5. bore — to tire
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. kid — to tease
  8. suit — to fit
  9. bass — the fish
  10. game — a match
  11. suit — clothes
  12. bore — to drill
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. game — wild animals
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. squash — to crush
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. kid — child
  20. snap — to click
  21. bass — low music
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. squash — the sport
  24. bass — the instrument

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