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: kid · net · hide · rule · bay · stick · fan · firm

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. rule — government
  5. kid — child
  6. firm — decided
  7. firm — steady
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. net — in sport
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. firm — a company
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. kid — to tease
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. net — for catching
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. rule — a law
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. net — after costs
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. rule — to rule out

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