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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. perch — the fish
  3. court — for sport
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. lie — to recline
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. cue — a signal
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. sharp — clever
  15. cue — a hint
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. court — of law
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. pitch — completely
  23. court — of a king
  24. cue — for pool

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