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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. lean — thin
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. fork — in a road
  12. press — a publisher
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. lean — to bend
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. kid — to tease
  19. press — to push
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. kid — child
  22. rock — a stone
  23. rock — music
  24. press — newspapers

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