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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. drill — the tool
  3. track — to keep track
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. drill — army training
  7. drill — a practice
  8. land — to come down
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. board — to get on
  11. land — a country
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. cold — not warm
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. land — ground
  16. track — a path
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. lie — to recline
  19. scale — in music
  20. board — a committee
  21. cold — an illness
  22. scale — size or range
  23. track — a song
  24. hide — to keep secret

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