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 116 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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. content — the amount
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. bass — low music
  7. firm — steady
  8. content — happy
  9. bass — the fish
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. rock — music
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. rule — a law
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. rock — a stone
  17. capital — a city
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. rule — government
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. firm — a company
  22. rush — hurry
  23. firm — decided
  24. capital — money

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