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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. object — to protest
  3. ground — crushed
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. object — an aim
  6. cell — in biology
  7. cell — a phone
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. tube — the underground
  10. object — a thing
  11. tube — a container
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. pound — a weight
  14. last — finally
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. last — to go on
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. ground — a position
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. last — final

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