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 120 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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. game — wild animals
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. pitch — completely
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. game — a match
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. ball — a great time
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. bore — to drill
  20. bore — to tire
  21. ball — a dance
  22. kick — in football
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. temple — a place of worship

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