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: wind · bear · stick · dip · track · lie · craft · hide

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. bear — the animal
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. wind — moving air
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. wind — moving air
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. track — a path
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. track — a song
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. lie — to recline
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. bear — the animal
  19. craft — a skill
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. dip — to sink
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. track — to keep track

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