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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. kid — to tease
  4. bulb — for light
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. pound — a weight
  10. club — a group
  11. vault — a safe
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. spring — of water
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. club — for golf
  18. kid — child
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. club — for dancing
  23. spring — the season
  24. spring — a coil

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