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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. kid — to tease
  3. snap — to click
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. sharp — clever
  10. chip — for betting
  11. kid — child
  12. stand — to bear
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. scale — size or range
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. chip — to eat
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. sharp — with an edge

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