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 116 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: season · bark · mouse · wave · bound · plane · bay · pitcher

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. season — in sport
  5. plane — a tool
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. season — of the year
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. bound — certain
  18. bound — tied together
  19. bound — obliged
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. bark — to shout

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