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: bat · firm · wind · cue · hide · tube · nail · pound

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. tube — a container
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. pound — a weight
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. firm — decided
  12. wind — moving air
  13. wind — moving air
  14. cue — a hint
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. firm — steady
  18. cue — for pool
  19. cue — a signal
  20. bat — the animal
  21. tube — the underground
  22. firm — a company
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. hide — to keep secret

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