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 116 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: wake · bore · net · hide · bay · sharp · pop · last

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. pop — music
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. wake — a trail
  5. last — final
  6. pop — to visit
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. net — for catching
  10. last — to go on
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. net — after costs
  14. sharp — clever
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. bore — to tire
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. pop — soda
  21. last — finally
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. net — in sport
  24. bore — to drill

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