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: ball · craft · hide · bear · rule · chip · safe · content

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. rule — a law
  4. content — happy
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. content — the amount
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. craft — a skill
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. rule — government
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. chip — for betting
  17. bear — the animal
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. bear — the animal
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. chip — to eat
  22. ball — a dance
  23. ball — a great time
  24. craft — boats

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