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: saw · bay · bowl · cap · hand · key · wave · wind

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. cap — a lid
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. saw — the tool
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. hand — help
  13. key — in music
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. cap — of ice
  17. wind — moving air
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. cap — a hat
  20. hand — in cards
  21. key — for a lock
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. key — the most important part
  24. saw — the tool

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