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 · mate · hide · track · roll · tear · firm · ball

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. tear — from crying
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. tear — from crying
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. firm — decided
  8. track — a song
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. ball — a great time
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. ball — a dance
  13. track — to keep track
  14. mate — to breed
  15. track — a path
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. mate — a partner
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. firm — steady
  21. roll — a cake
  22. mate — a friend
  23. roll — a list
  24. tear — to rip

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