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 116 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: leaves · net · bore · court · ground · snap · bay · hide

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. court — for sport
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. court — of law
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. court — of a king
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. snap — to click
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. net — in sport
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. net — for catching
  16. ground — crushed
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. ground — a position
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. ground — the earth
  21. bore — to drill
  22. bore — to tire
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. net — after costs

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