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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. hand — help
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. spring — the season
  8. pitch — completely
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. rule — government
  14. rule — a law
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. spring — a coil
  17. spring — of water
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. pass — a permit
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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