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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. swing — in golf
  4. net — in sport
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. stock — goods
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. swing — to play on
  9. drill — army training
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. wound — an injury
  14. drill — the tool
  15. stock — shares
  16. drill — a practice
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. net — after costs
  20. wound — an injury
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. swing — music
  24. net — for catching

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