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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. last — to go on
  6. pop — to visit
  7. date — the fruit
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. deal — to handle
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. pop — music
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. wake — a trail
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. last — finally
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. pop — soda
  24. last — final

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