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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. mark — a trace
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. kid — to tease
  6. pit — a hole
  7. bear — the animal
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. pit — in a race
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. staff — employees
  13. mark — a grade
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. kid — child
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. tube — a container
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. tube — the underground
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. bear — the animal
  23. staff — employees
  24. bear — to put up with

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