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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. row — a line
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. rock — a stone
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. net — after costs
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. net — in sport
  13. row — to paddle
  14. net — for catching
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. rule — a law
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. lie — to recline
  21. rock — music
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. rule — government

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