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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. cold — not warm
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. date — the fruit
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. cold — an illness
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. lie — to recline
  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