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 120 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 goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. lie — to recline
  5. net — in sport
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. net — after costs
  10. face — to confront
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. bulb — for light
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. wake — a trail
  15. face — part of the head
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. bulb — for light
  19. net — for catching
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. face — to point toward

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