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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. track — a path
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. face — to confront
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. chair — a leader
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. bore — to tire
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. track — a song
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. track — to keep track
  17. pop — soda
  18. face — to point toward
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. pop — music
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. bore — to drill
  24. face — part of the head

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