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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. present — there
  4. craft — boats
  5. drill — army training
  6. net — after costs
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. drill — a practice
  9. squash — to crush
  10. net — for catching
  11. pass — a permit
  12. craft — a skill
  13. squash — the sport
  14. present — the time now
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. net — in sport
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. drill — the tool
  20. board — a committee
  21. present — a gift
  22. board — to get on
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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