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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. face — to confront
  6. present — the time now
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. bat — the animal
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. present — a gift
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. face — to point toward
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. snap — to click
  18. face — part of the head
  19. pound — a weight
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. mouse — the animal

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