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. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. rash — hasty
  3. kick — in football
  4. cell — in biology
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. cell — a phone
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. pit — in a race
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. suit — clothes
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. pit — a hole
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. suit — in cards
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. suit — to fit
  23. mine — for digging
  24. rash — a series

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