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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. can — to be able to
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. hand — help
  5. saw — the tool
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. can — a tin
  12. lie — to recline
  13. kid — to tease
  14. hand — in cards
  15. staff — employees
  16. staff — employees
  17. stand — to bear
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. staff — a stick
  21. saw — the tool
  22. kid — child
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. can — a tin

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