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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. mug — a face
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. lie — to recline
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. cold — not warm
  15. deal — to handle
  16. cold — an illness
  17. mug — to rob
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. vault — a safe
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. roll — a cake
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. roll — a list
  24. deal — a big deal

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