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 · stand · clip · pass · face · lash · wax · suit

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. face — part of the head
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. clip — to cut
  5. suit — in cards
  6. clip — for paper
  7. wax — to grow
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. suit — clothes
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. stand — to bear
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. pass — a permit
  15. clip — a video
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. face — to point toward
  19. face — to confront
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. suit — to fit
  24. lash — an eyelash

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