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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. wind — moving air
  7. lean — to bend
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. wind — moving air
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. wax — to grow
  12. lean — thin
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. bulb — for light
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. wound — an injury
  18. bulb — for light
  19. wound — an injury
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. ruler — for measuring

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