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: hide · mate · cue · rest · straw · nail · root · cabinet

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. root — of a word
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. mate — to breed
  9. cue — for pool
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. rest — a break
  13. rest — what's left
  14. root — the cause
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. cue — a signal
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. rest — what's left
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. root — of a plant
  22. mate — a friend
  23. cue — a hint
  24. nail — on a finger

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