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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. firm — decided
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. bore — to tire
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. cue — a hint
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. cue — a signal
  12. clip — for paper
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. bass — low music
  16. bore — to drill
  17. firm — steady
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. clip — to cut
  20. clip — a video
  21. firm — a company
  22. bass — the fish
  23. cue — for pool
  24. calf — a young animal

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