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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. mug — a face
  3. kid — to tease
  4. track — a path
  5. mug — a cup
  6. fall — to drop
  7. last — finally
  8. kid — child
  9. fall — to drop
  10. cap — of ice
  11. fall — the season
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. cap — a lid
  15. mug — to rob
  16. last — to go on
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. track — a song
  20. board — a committee
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. cap — a hat
  23. last — final
  24. track — to keep track

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