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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. track — a song
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. track — a path
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. pass — a permit
  10. game — a match
  11. track — to keep track
  12. game — wild animals
  13. lie — to recline
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. hand — help
  17. hand — in cards
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. game — a kind of play

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