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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. clip — a video
  8. clip — for paper
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. pit — a hole
  12. pit — in a race
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. clip — to cut
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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