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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. stand — to bear
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. degree — temperature
  6. degree — an amount
  7. saw — the tool
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. degree — from a university
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. can — to be able to
  14. saw — the tool
  15. march — music
  16. march — the month
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. march — the month
  20. can — a tin
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. can — a tin
  24. wave — of the sea

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