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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. pop — soda
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. pop — music
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. pass — a permit
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. pit — a hole
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. degree — from a university
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. degree — temperature
  19. pop — to visit
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. pit — in a race
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. degree — an amount

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