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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. charge — electricity
  4. cold — an illness
  5. tear — from crying
  6. cue — a hint
  7. cue — a signal
  8. swing — in golf
  9. cold — the Cold War
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. ball — a great time
  12. charge — a price
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. tear — from crying
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. charge — in control
  19. swing — to play on
  20. cold — not warm
  21. ball — a dance
  22. cue — for pool
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. tear — to rip

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