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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. track — to keep track
  8. mug — a face
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. kid — child
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. kid — to tease
  15. mug — to rob
  16. track — a path
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. saw — the tool
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. track — a song
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. mug — a cup
  24. pass — a permit

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