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 dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — the tool
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. mate — a friend
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. shower — rain
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. lie — to recline
  12. stand — to bear
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. can — a tin
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. mate — to breed
  17. mate — a partner
  18. clip — a video
  19. clip — for paper
  20. clip — to cut
  21. can — a tin
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. shower — to wash
  24. can — to be able to

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