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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. face — part of the head
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. craft — boats
  5. craft — a skill
  6. cap — of ice
  7. scale — size or range
  8. fall — the season
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. face — to point toward
  11. face — to confront
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. cap — a lid
  14. scale — in music
  15. pound — a weight
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. fall — to drop
  18. fall — to drop
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cap — a hat
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. cabinet — ministers

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