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: safe · row · hide · lean · stand · bay · bat · saw

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. bat — the animal
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. saw — the tool
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. lean — to bend
  9. lean — thin
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. stand — to bear
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. saw — the tool
  17. row — a line
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. row — to paddle
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. safe — out of danger

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