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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pitcher · bear · bay · can · wound · spell

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. wound — an injury
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. can — to be able to
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. bear — the animal
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. spell — letters
  12. spell — a short time
  13. can — a tin
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. can — a tin
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. wound — an injury
  18. pitcher — in baseball

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