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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. race — the arms race
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. shower — to wash
  13. race — a contest
  14. race — humankind
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. shower — rain
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. lie — to recline
  20. ball — a dance
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. toast — bread
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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