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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. fine — all right
  4. suit — to fit
  5. suit — in cards
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. spring — the season
  9. spring — of water
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. cold — an illness
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. rule — government
  15. bore — to drill
  16. bore — to tire
  17. rule — a law
  18. fine — high quality
  19. spring — a coil
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. suit — clothes
  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