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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. swing — to play on
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. object — a thing
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. tear — from crying
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. tear — to rip
  14. object — to protest
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. object — an aim
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. tear — from crying
  20. swing — in golf
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. swing — music
  24. hide — to keep secret

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