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 · land · toast · plane · season · kid · kick · pit

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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. plane — a tool
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. pit — a hole
  5. kid — child
  6. season — in sport
  7. land — a country
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. land — ground
  11. kid — to tease
  12. toast — bread
  13. kick — in football
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. pit — in a race
  19. land — to come down
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. season — of the year
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. kick — a thrill

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