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

Word bank: hide · present · chest · cabinet · season · bay · snap · pop

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. chest — of your body
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. present — a gift
  7. chest — a box
  8. present — there
  9. pop — to visit
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. present — the time now
  16. pop — music
  17. snap — to click
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. pop — soda
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. chest — of your body
  22. season — in sport
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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