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: coach · dip · mouse · hide · scale · deal · fork · key

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. dip — to sink
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. key — in music
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. fork — in a road
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. key — for a lock
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. scale — in music
  18. key — the most important part
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. deal — to handle
  22. scale — size or range
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. fork — a garden tool

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