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: bore · ball · hide · straw · cap · squash · roll · staff

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. bore — to tire
  6. staff — a stick
  7. ball — a dance
  8. bore — to drill
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. cap — of ice
  11. roll — a cake
  12. staff — employees
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. roll — a list
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. squash — the sport
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. ball — a great time
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. cap — a lid
  23. staff — employees
  24. cap — a hat

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