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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. suit — in cards
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. club — for dancing
  8. game — a match
  9. firm — steady
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. suit — clothes
  14. game — wild animals
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. club — for golf
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. firm — decided
  19. suit — to fit
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. bark — to shout
  23. club — a group
  24. firm — a company

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