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 124 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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. squash — to crush
  3. kid — child
  4. wind — moving air
  5. squash — the sport
  6. object — an aim
  7. current — of water
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. current — happening now
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. object — to protest
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. kid — to tease
  16. wind — moving air
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. foot — a measure
  21. current — electric
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. object — a thing

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