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 120 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 flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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 — the season
  4. face — part of the head
  5. row — to paddle
  6. row — a line
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. face — to confront
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. face — to point toward
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. lean — to bend
  17. lean — thin
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. spring — of water
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. bark — to shout
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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