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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. saw — the tool
  3. track — to keep track
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. saw — the tool
  9. branch — a division
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. track — a path
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. pass — a permit
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. track — a song

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