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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: spring · game · jam · cabinet · saw · hide

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. game — a match
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. spring — a coil
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. spring — the season
  9. game — wild animals
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. saw — the tool
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. saw — the tool
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. spring — of water

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