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 120 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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. fine — high quality
  7. saw — the tool
  8. fine — all right
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. saw — the tool
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. rush — hurry
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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