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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. sharp — clever
  5. bulb — for light
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. ground — the earth
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. ground — crushed
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. chest — a box
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. chest — of your body
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. hand — in cards
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. lie — to recline
  20. hand — help
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. ground — a position
  23. bulb — for light
  24. chest — of your body

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