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 120 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 · clip · lie · rock · root · pitcher · leaves · sharp

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. sharp — clever
  6. clip — a video
  7. clip — for paper
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. lie — to recline
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. clip — to cut
  14. rock — music
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. root — of a plant
  17. root — the cause
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. root — of a word
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. sharp — exactly

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