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 · clip · fall · patient · mate · bass · lean

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. lean — to bend
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. clip — a video
  5. lean — thin
  6. fall — the season
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. mate — a friend
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. bass — the fish
  15. fall — to drop
  16. mate — to breed
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. bear — the animal
  19. clip — to cut
  20. clip — for paper
  21. mate — a partner
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. fall — to drop
  24. bass — low music

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