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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. staff — employees
  4. land — a country
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. saw — the tool
  8. land — ground
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. file — a tool
  13. file — a line of people
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. file — a document
  17. stand — to bear
  18. staff — a stick
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. saw — the tool
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. land — to come down
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. staff — employees

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