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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. squash — to crush
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. saw — the tool
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. ground — crushed
  9. squash — the sport
  10. rule — government
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. ground — a position
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. saw — the tool
  22. ground — the earth
  23. rule — a law
  24. squash — the vegetable

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