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: hide · mouse · can · mine · mate · calf · present · press

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. mate — a partner
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. can — a tin
  8. mine — for digging
  9. present — a gift
  10. can — to be able to
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. press — a publisher
  13. press — newspapers
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. mate — to breed
  16. can — a tin
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mate — a friend
  20. press — to push
  21. present — the time now
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. present — there

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