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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  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 — to recline
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. wound — an injury
  9. rule — a law
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. wound — an injury
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. kick — in football
  14. swing — to play on
  15. swing — music
  16. rule — government
  17. chest — a box
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. swing — in golf
  22. chest — of your body
  23. ruler — for measuring
  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