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 was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. present — the time now
  3. shower — to wash
  4. object — to protest
  5. pit — a hole
  6. present — there
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. object — an aim
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. shower — rain
  14. present — a gift
  15. perch — the fish
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. pit — in a race
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. object — a thing
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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