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: chest · bay · stick · mark · object · wave · rest · lean

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. rest — what's left
  3. object — an aim
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. object — a thing
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. rest — what's left
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. chest — a box
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. mark — a trace
  16. chest — of your body
  17. lean — to bend
  18. rest — a break
  19. mark — a grade
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. object — to protest
  22. chest — of your body
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. lean — thin

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