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 116 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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. bass — low music
  3. file — a document
  4. bass — the fish
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. file — a tool
  10. file — a line of people
  11. row — a line
  12. lie — to recline
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. row — to paddle
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. deal — to handle
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. stand — to bear

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