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

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. fine — high quality
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. saw — the tool
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. pit — in a race
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. root — of a plant
  10. bear — the animal
  11. pit — a hole
  12. pass — a permit
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. dip — to sink
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. root — of a word
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. fine — all right
  19. saw — the tool
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. root — the cause
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. hide — animal skin

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