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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. board — to get on
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. snap — to click
  7. spring — the season
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. can — to be able to
  12. firm — a company
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. firm — steady
  17. spring — a coil
  18. board — a committee
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. firm — decided
  21. kick — in football
  22. can — a tin
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. spring — of water

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