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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. rock — music
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. rash — hasty
  16. rock — a stone
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. perch — the fish
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. mine — for digging
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. rash — a series
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. perch — for a bird

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