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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. vault — a safe
  8. rest — a break
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. foot — a measure
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. rest — what's left
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. kick — in football
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. rest — what's left

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