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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. firm — steady
  3. track — a path
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. firm — decided
  6. track — a song
  7. stem — to come from
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. track — to keep track
  10. firm — a company
  11. hand — help
  12. rush — hurry
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. scale — size or range
  16. scale — in music
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. cue — a signal
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. hand — in cards
  23. cue — for pool
  24. cue — a hint

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