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 120 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 hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. suit — to fit
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. last — finally
  5. last — final
  6. present — a gift
  7. fall — the season
  8. spring — a coil
  9. present — the time now
  10. deal — to handle
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. spring — the season
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. fall — to drop
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. suit — in cards
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. fall — to drop
  21. last — to go on
  22. present — there
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. suit — clothes

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