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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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. mate — a partner
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. fall — to drop
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. cap — of ice
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. ball — a great time
  11. cap — a hat
  12. date — the fruit
  13. fall — the season
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. mate — to breed
  16. field — farmland
  17. cap — a lid
  18. mine — for digging
  19. ball — a dance
  20. field — a subject
  21. field — for sport
  22. fall — to drop
  23. mate — a friend
  24. ball — a round shape

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