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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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. bark — a dog's sound
  3. mug — a cup
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. mug — a face
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. land — ground
  9. deal — to handle
  10. bear — the animal
  11. content — the amount
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. land — a country
  16. land — to come down
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. content — happy
  19. wax — to grow
  20. mug — to rob
  21. bark — to shout
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. wax — for sculpting

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