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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. content — happy
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. land — to come down
  8. row — to paddle
  9. land — a country
  10. land — ground
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bear — the animal
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. pit — in a race
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. bass — low music
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. bass — the fish
  21. row — a line
  22. pit — a hole
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. content — the amount

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