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: pass · perch · bay · hide · chair · capital · toast · lie

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. capital — money
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. chair — a leader
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. lie — to recline
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. perch — the fish
  20. toast — bread
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. capital — a city
  23. pass — a permit
  24. toast — the most admired

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