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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. cold — the Cold War
  5. saw — the tool
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. cold — an illness
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. saw — the tool
  11. shower — rain
  12. season — of the year
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. plane — a tool
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. shower — to wash
  18. season — in sport
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. stand — to bear
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. cold — not warm

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