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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. lie — to recline
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. bore — to drill
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. file — a line of people
  8. bore — to tire
  9. ground — the earth
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. craft — boats
  13. ground — a position
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. saw — the tool
  16. saw — the tool
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. craft — a skill
  19. plane — a tool
  20. file — a tool
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. ground — crushed
  24. file — a document

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