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 120 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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bank — of a river
  3. shower — rain
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. bank — for money
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. march — the month
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. march — the month
  10. march — music
  11. lie — to recline
  12. bank — for money
  13. bass — low music
  14. kick — in football
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. band — a ring
  19. shower — to wash
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. band — a music group
  24. bass — the fish

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