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 works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. bore — to tire
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. cue — for pool
  6. firm — steady
  7. wind — moving air
  8. deal — to handle
  9. wind — moving air
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. face — part of the head
  13. firm — decided
  14. face — to point toward
  15. cue — a signal
  16. ball — a great time
  17. face — to confront
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. cue — a hint
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. ball — a dance
  22. bore — to drill
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. deal — a big deal

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