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 116 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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. fork — in a road
  3. hand — help
  4. kid — to tease
  5. rest — what's left
  6. track — a path
  7. cell — in biology
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. rest — a break
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. rest — what's left
  14. track — to keep track
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. kid — child
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. mate — a partner
  19. cell — a phone
  20. hand — in cards
  21. lie — to recline
  22. track — a song
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. mate — a friend

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