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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. present — there
  3. cue — for pool
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. mark — a trace
  6. mark — a grade
  7. fall — to drop
  8. content — the amount
  9. cue — a signal
  10. fall — to drop
  11. stock — goods
  12. content — happy
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. prune — to trim
  15. present — the time now
  16. fall — the season
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. cue — a hint
  22. present — a gift
  23. prune — to trim
  24. stock — shares

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