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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. lie — to recline
  3. lean — to bend
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. game — wild animals
  7. lean — thin
  8. cell — in biology
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. row — to paddle
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. game — a match
  13. wax — to grow
  14. chip — for betting
  15. chip — to eat
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. cell — a phone
  18. row — a line
  19. deal — to handle
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. chip — in a computer

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