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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. net — after costs
  6. present — a gift
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. present — the time now
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. hand — help
  12. hand — in cards
  13. mine — for digging
  14. net — in sport
  15. present — there
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. hide — to keep secret

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