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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. season — of the year
  4. hand — in cards
  5. fork — in a road
  6. stem — to come from
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. hand — help
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. bat — the animal
  13. board — a committee
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. dip — to sink
  18. season — in sport
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. board — to get on
  24. bay — a horse colour

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