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: roll · lean · bay · suit · last · shower · club · cell

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. suit — in cards
  3. club — for dancing
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. lean — thin
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. cell — a phone
  9. last — final
  10. roll — a cake
  11. shower — to wash
  12. lean — to bend
  13. shower — rain
  14. last — to go on
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. roll — a list
  17. last — finally
  18. club — for golf
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. suit — clothes
  21. cell — in biology
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. club — a group

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