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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. cue — a signal
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. saw — the tool
  6. bore — to tire
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. cue — a hint
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. face — to point toward
  16. bore — to drill
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. saw — the tool
  20. face — part of the head
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. face — to confront
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. cue — for pool

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