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: drill · tube · wind · hide · saw · cue · board · lean

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. tube — the underground
  3. tube — a container
  4. saw — the tool
  5. board — to get on
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. cue — for pool
  9. drill — a practice
  10. drill — the tool
  11. wind — moving air
  12. lean — thin
  13. wind — moving air
  14. board — a committee
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. saw — the tool
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. cue — a hint
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. drill — army training
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. cue — a signal
  24. lean — to bend

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