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 120 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 can't ________________ this cold.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. craft — a skill
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. saw — the tool
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. lie — to recline
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. saw — the tool
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. craft — boats
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. lie — an untruth

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