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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. mug — to rob
  4. mug — a face
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. content — happy
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. capital — money
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. mug — a cup
  17. content — the amount
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. wind — moving air
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. capital — a city
  24. ruler — for measuring

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