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: straw · pit · hide · firm · kick · suit · patient · content

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. content — the amount
  7. suit — in cards
  8. pit — a hole
  9. firm — decided
  10. firm — steady
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. suit — clothes
  14. firm — a company
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. kick — in football
  19. pit — in a race
  20. content — happy
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. suit — to fit
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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