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: safe · fan · bay · rock · stick · pit · lie · scale

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  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 — to keep at bay
  2. rock — music
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. lie — to recline
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. pit — a hole
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. rock — a stone
  16. scale — size or range
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. scale — in music
  21. pit — in a race
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. fan — a supporter
  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