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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. deal — to handle
  3. staff — employees
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. tear — from crying
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. bat — the animal
  9. pass — a permit
  10. tear — from crying
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. staff — employees
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. tear — to rip
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. staff — a stick
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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