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: dip · cabinet · net · scale · rock · hide · fan · stand

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. net — for catching
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. net — in sport
  9. dip — to sink
  10. scale — size or range
  11. net — after costs
  12. stand — to bear
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. rock — a stone
  16. scale — in music
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. rock — music
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. hide — animal skin

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