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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. ball — a great time
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. charge — a price
  10. kick — in football
  11. row — to paddle
  12. ball — a dance
  13. charge — in control
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. charge — electricity
  16. last — to go on
  17. last — final
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. mine — for digging
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. last — finally
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. row — a quarrel

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