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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. dip — to sink
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. object — to protest
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. tube — the underground
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. object — a thing
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. mug — to rob
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. mug — a face
  17. tube — a container
  18. mug — a cup
  19. bear — the animal
  20. object — an aim
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. bear — the animal
  24. season — of the year

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