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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. drill — a practice
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. root — the cause
  7. club — a group
  8. sharp — clever
  9. root — of a plant
  10. cell — a phone
  11. cell — in biology
  12. swing — in golf
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. drill — the tool
  16. drill — army training
  17. club — for dancing
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. swing — to play on
  21. swing — music
  22. club — for golf
  23. root — of a word
  24. cell — in a prison

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