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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. race — the arms race
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. race — a contest
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mate — a partner
  7. court — of a king
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. mate — to breed
  15. race — humankind
  16. lie — to recline
  17. court — for sport
  18. mate — a friend
  19. bat — the animal
  20. pound — a weight
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. court — of law
  24. bulb — for light

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