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: bay · bear · file · arm · ground · spell · club · jam

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. spell — a short time
  3. club — for dancing
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. file — a tool
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. ground — the earth
  10. file — a document
  11. club — a group
  12. file — a line of people
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. club — for golf
  15. bear — the animal
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. spell — letters
  19. ground — crushed
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. spell — magic
  22. ground — a position
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. arm — a part of something

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