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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. root — the cause
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. root — of a word
  7. root — of a plant
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. capital — money
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. spring — the season
  15. spring — a coil
  16. sharp — clever
  17. bear — the animal
  18. capital — a city
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. bear — the animal
  22. spring — of water
  23. perch — the fish
  24. bay — a horse colour

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