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 116 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: tear · hide · firm · key · net · kid · chip · present

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. net — in sport
  4. present — there
  5. firm — a company
  6. present — the time now
  7. key — in music
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. net — after costs
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. tear — from crying
  12. tear — to rip
  13. tear — from crying
  14. firm — steady
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. chip — for betting
  17. net — for catching
  18. kid — child
  19. key — the most important part
  20. present — a gift
  21. chip — to eat
  22. firm — decided
  23. kid — to tease
  24. key — for a lock

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