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: bear · game · bass · bay · ruler · lean · row · cabinet

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. game — wild animals
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. bear — the animal
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. bass — low music
  10. row — a line
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. bass — the fish
  13. bear — the animal
  14. game — a match
  15. row — to paddle
  16. lean — thin
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. lean — to bend
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. ruler — for measuring

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