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: wake · bay · tear · arm · pass · bowl · bore · pitch

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. tear — to rip
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. wake — a trail
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. bore — to tire
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. pass — a permit
  15. pitch — completely
  16. tear — from crying
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. tear — from crying
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. bore — to drill
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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