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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. rule — government
  4. wind — moving air
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. wind — moving air
  10. bass — the fish
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. rest — what's left
  14. bass — low music
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. rule — a law
  18. rest — what's left
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. rest — a break
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. lie — to recline
  24. straw — a straw man

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