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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. club — for dancing
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. mate — a friend
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. mine — for digging
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. pound — a weight
  12. club — for golf
  13. mate — to breed
  14. mate — a partner
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. club — a group
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. snap — to click
  20. lie — to recline
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. lie — an untruth

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