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. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  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. game — a kind of play
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bass — the fish
  4. charge — electricity
  5. tear — from crying
  6. game — wild animals
  7. charge — a price
  8. rush — hurry
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. craft — boats
  11. charge — in control
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. bass — low music
  15. game — a match
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. tear — from crying
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. bear — the animal
  22. craft — a skill
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  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