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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. pass — a permit
  3. chip — to eat
  4. rash — hasty
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. bore — to tire
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. bore — to drill
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. firm — steady
  13. bat — the animal
  14. rash — a series
  15. firm — decided
  16. prune — to trim
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. firm — a company
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. chip — for betting
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. prune — to trim

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