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: sharp · suit · bound · tear · game · bay · leaves · dip

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. tear — from crying
  3. bound — tied together
  4. game — a match
  5. tear — to rip
  6. game — wild animals
  7. bound — certain
  8. suit — clothes
  9. tear — from crying
  10. suit — to fit
  11. bound — obliged
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. sharp — clever
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. dip — to sink
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. suit — in cards
  24. dip — to dunk

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