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: fine · fall · firm · temple · leaves · coach · hand · hide

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. hand — help
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. fine — high quality
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. fall — the season
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. firm — steady
  15. fall — to drop
  16. hand — in cards
  17. fall — to drop
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. firm — decided
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. fine — all right
  23. firm — a company
  24. fine — a penalty

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