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 · snap · craft · fan · bay · pound · tube · pit

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. tube — the underground
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. craft — boats
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. pit — a hole
  16. pit — in a race
  17. tube — a container
  18. pound — a weight
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. craft — a skill
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. snap — to click
  24. bay — a horse colour

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