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 · board · bass · last · foot · wound · cabinet · tear

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. last — finally
  5. foot — a measure
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. tear — from crying
  8. board — a committee
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. board — to get on
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. tear — to rip
  13. bass — the fish
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. tear — from crying
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. last — final
  18. wound — an injury
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. bass — low music
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. wound — an injury

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