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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. shower — to wash
  5. present — there
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. shower — rain
  10. wind — moving air
  11. pass — a permit
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. present — a gift
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. wind — moving air
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. present — the time now
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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