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: coach · cabinet · jam · mate · season · hand · hide · temple

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. season — of the year
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. mate — to breed
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. hand — help
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. mate — a friend
  12. mate — a partner
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. hand — in cards
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. season — in sport

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