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: toast · bay · land · club · mouse · perch · rule · net

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. land — ground
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. perch — the fish
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. club — a group
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. land — a country
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. toast — bread
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. rule — government
  14. net — in sport
  15. club — for dancing
  16. net — after costs
  17. net — for catching
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. rule — a law
  21. land — to come down
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. club — for golf

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