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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. spring — a coil
  3. spring — of water
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. squash — to crush
  6. wake — a trail
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. net — for catching
  9. squash — the sport
  10. present — the time now
  11. present — there
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. toast — bread
  14. net — in sport
  15. rush — hurry
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. spring — the season
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. net — after costs
  24. present — a gift

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