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

Word bank: bear · bay · wake · trunk · mug · chair · ground · track

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. mug — a cup
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. ground — crushed
  11. track — a song
  12. mug — a face
  13. track — a path
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. track — to keep track
  16. ground — a position
  17. bear — the animal
  18. mug — to rob
  19. wake — a trail
  20. chair — a leader
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. bear — the animal
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. chair — a professorship

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