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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. saw — the tool
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. board — to get on
  6. fall — to drop
  7. fall — the season
  8. fall — to drop
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. shower — rain
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. saw — the tool
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. board — a committee
  16. mate — a friend
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. mate — to breed
  19. shower — to wash
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. pitch — completely
  24. hide — to keep secret

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