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: ball · mate · pop · object · file · suit · bay · tear

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. tear — from crying
  3. pop — to visit
  4. tear — to rip
  5. file — a document
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. object — an aim
  8. object — to protest
  9. suit — clothes
  10. object — a thing
  11. file — a tool
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. mate — to breed
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. pop — music
  16. ball — a great time
  17. file — a line of people
  18. tear — from crying
  19. mate — a partner
  20. mate — a friend
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. suit — in cards
  23. suit — to fit
  24. pop — soda

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