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 120 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 am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. spring — a coil
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. spring — the season
  7. rest — a break
  8. rest — what's left
  9. bore — to tire
  10. charge — a price
  11. ground — crushed
  12. ground — the earth
  13. charge — in control
  14. spring — of water
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. rest — what's left
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. ground — a position
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. charge — electricity
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. bore — to drill
  24. nail — for a hammer

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