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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. chest — a box
  3. scale — size or range
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. clip — a video
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. clip — to cut
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. date — the fruit
  12. pitch — completely
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. chest — of your body
  18. chest — of your body
  19. bear — the animal
  20. scale — in music
  21. bear — the animal
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. clip — for paper
  24. hide — to keep secret

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