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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. hand — help
  6. snap — to click
  7. drill — the tool
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. lie — to recline
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. drill — a practice
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. drill — army training
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. hand — in cards

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