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 116 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: mug · spell · leaves · hide · nail · bass · present · bat

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. mug — a cup
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. spell — letters
  5. spell — magic
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. present — a gift
  8. bass — the fish
  9. mug — to rob
  10. present — there
  11. bat — the animal
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. mug — a face
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. spell — a short time
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. bass — low music
  23. hide — to keep secret
  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