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: pop · racket · firm · suit · bay · band · hide · cabinet

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. suit — to fit
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. firm — decided
  6. suit — in cards
  7. pop — to visit
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. pop — music
  12. firm — steady
  13. band — a ring
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. suit — clothes
  18. pop — soda
  19. band — a music group
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. firm — a company
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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