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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. current — electric
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. ground — crushed
  8. current — of water
  9. lean — thin
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. saw — the tool
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. ground — the earth
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. lean — to bend
  18. mark — a trace
  19. saw — the tool
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. ground — a position
  22. mark — a grade
  23. current — happening now
  24. wave — with your hand

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