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. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. pop — soda
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. season — of the year
  8. suit — in cards
  9. court — of a king
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. tube — a container
  12. bat — the animal
  13. season — in sport
  14. pound — a weight
  15. court — for sport
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. court — of law
  18. pop — to visit
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. suit — clothes
  21. pop — music
  22. suit — to fit
  23. tube — the underground
  24. season — to add flavour

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