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: bear · deal · wake · arm · hide · wound · cap · fan

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. cap — a lid
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. deal — to handle
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. wound — an injury
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. cap — of ice
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. cap — a hat
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. bear — the animal
  22. wound — an injury
  23. wake — a trail
  24. bear — the animal

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