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 120 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: season · rock · firm · chair · snap · fan · hide · bore

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. rock — music
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. snap — to click
  6. rock — a stone
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. season — in sport
  12. firm — a company
  13. firm — steady
  14. bore — to tire
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. chair — a leader
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. season — of the year
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. firm — decided
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. bore — to drill

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