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: roll · bay · pit · hide · bass · press · firm · mug

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. bass — low music
  3. mug — to rob
  4. pit — in a race
  5. firm — a company
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. mug — a cup
  9. firm — steady
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. pit — a hole
  12. press — to push
  13. firm — decided
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. press — a publisher
  16. roll — a cake
  17. press — newspapers
  18. bass — the fish
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. mug — a face
  22. roll — a list
  23. bass — the instrument
  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