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: cue · dip · bay · deal · bound · spring · ball · perch

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. bound — certain
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. cue — a signal
  9. spring — a coil
  10. bound — obliged
  11. deal — to handle
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. cue — a hint
  16. ball — a great time
  17. perch — the fish
  18. bound — tied together
  19. spring — the season
  20. cue — for pool
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. spring — of water
  23. ball — a dance
  24. dip — to sink

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