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. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. saw — the tool
  7. cold — an illness
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. cold — not warm
  15. wake — a trail
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. saw — the tool
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. bear — the animal
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. bear — the animal
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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