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 124 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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  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. bay — a part of the sea
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. tear — to rip
  4. saw — the tool
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. content — happy
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. tear — from crying
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. tear — from crying
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. saw — the tool
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. wax — to grow
  18. cap — of ice
  19. cap — a hat
  20. cap — a lid
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. jam — a tight spot
  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