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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. track — a song
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. firm — decided
  5. lie — to recline
  6. tear — from crying
  7. firm — a company
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. clip — a video
  11. tear — to rip
  12. tear — from crying
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. track — a path
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. clip — for paper
  18. clip — to cut
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. track — to keep track
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. firm — steady

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