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: bay · jam · bear · pound · foot · squash · saw · net

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. bear — the animal
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. squash — to crush
  7. net — after costs
  8. squash — the sport
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. saw — the tool
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. foot — a measure
  16. saw — the tool
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. net — in sport
  19. net — for catching
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. pound — a weight
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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