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 116 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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. face — to confront
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. pass — a permit
  7. march — the month
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. march — music
  11. face — part of the head
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. bore — to tire
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. tear — from crying
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. bore — to drill
  18. tear — to rip
  19. march — the month
  20. deal — to handle
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. face — to point toward
  23. tear — from crying
  24. pass — to spend time

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