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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. kick — in football
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. hand — help
  11. hand — in cards
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. foot — a measure
  23. snap — to click
  24. kick — a thrill

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