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 stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. staff — employees
  3. file — a tool
  4. staff — employees
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. wind — moving air
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. staff — a stick
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. file — a document
  13. pass — a permit
  14. file — a line of people
  15. wind — moving air
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. fall — to drop
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. deal — to handle
  22. fall — the season
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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