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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. game — a match
  3. rash — a series
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. rock — a stone
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. tube — a container
  8. tube — the underground
  9. rash — hasty
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. game — wild animals
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. stem — to come from
  20. chair — a leader
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. rush — hurry

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