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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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. bear — to put up with
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bear — the animal
  6. face — part of the head
  7. vault — a safe
  8. rest — a break
  9. dip — to sink
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. face — to point toward
  12. bear — the animal
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. rest — what's left
  17. clip — to cut
  18. face — to confront
  19. clip — for paper
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. clip — a video
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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