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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. last — to go on
  4. band — a music group
  5. content — happy
  6. band — a ring
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. stand — to bear
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. last — finally
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. pop — soda
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. row — to paddle
  18. pop — to visit
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. row — a line
  21. last — final
  22. pop — music
  23. content — the amount
  24. stand — on your feet

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