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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. net — after costs
  5. pop — soda
  6. pop — to visit
  7. lie — to recline
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. net — in sport
  10. race — the arms race
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. pop — music
  13. wound — an injury
  14. wound — an injury
  15. race — a contest
  16. charge — electricity
  17. net — for catching
  18. race — humankind
  19. charge — a price
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. charge — in control

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