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: bay · mug · hide · hand · track · net · can · pass

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. mug — to rob
  4. pass — a permit
  5. mug — a cup
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. net — after costs
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. net — for catching
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. track — a song
  13. hand — help
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. can — to be able to
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. hand — in cards
  18. track — to keep track
  19. mug — a face
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. track — a path
  22. net — in sport
  23. can — a tin
  24. can — a tin

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