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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. pound — a weight
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. mark — a grade
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. mark — a trace
  12. tear — from crying
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. tear — from crying
  15. suit — clothes
  16. pit — in a race
  17. tear — to rip
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. pit — a hole
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. suit — to fit

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