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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. rest — what's left
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. land — a country
  6. lean — to bend
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. land — ground
  10. lean — thin
  11. file — a line of people
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. land — to come down
  14. file — a document
  15. file — a tool
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. rest — what's left
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. rest — a break
  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