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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. cue — for pool
  5. present — the time now
  6. cue — a hint
  7. cap — of ice
  8. cap — a lid
  9. cap — a hat
  10. present — a gift
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. bank — for money
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. cue — a signal
  16. kid — to tease
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. present — there
  19. kid — child
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. bank — of a river

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