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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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. rash — hasty
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. bound — obliged
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. prune — to trim
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. lie — to recline
  10. race — a contest
  11. rash — a series
  12. bound — certain
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. stock — shares
  15. bound — tied together
  16. race — humankind
  17. prune — to trim
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. snap — to click
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. race — the arms race
  23. stock — goods
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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