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: ball · wax · roll · rock · hide · bay · row · fall

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. fall — the season
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. rock — a stone
  8. fall — to drop
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. row — to paddle
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. ball — a great time
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. row — a line
  15. roll — a list
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. ball — a dance
  18. fall — to drop
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. rock — music
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. wax — to grow
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. roll — a cake

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