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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. suit — in cards
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. spring — the season
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. suit — to fit
  9. spring — of water
  10. cue — a hint
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. cue — for pool
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. cue — a signal
  18. spring — a coil
  19. wake — a trail
  20. bat — the animal
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. suit — clothes
  24. pitch — completely

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