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: nail · foot · wake · leaves · safe · degree · hide · pop

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. wake — a trail
  3. pop — soda
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. degree — temperature
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. degree — from a university
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. pop — to visit
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. pop — music
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. degree — an amount
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. foot — a measure
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. foot — part of the body

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