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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. rest — what's left
  3. hand — in cards
  4. shower — to wash
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. craft — boats
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. pop — to visit
  9. craft — a skill
  10. hand — help
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. tube — the underground
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. lie — to recline
  16. tube — a container
  17. shower — rain
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. rest — a break
  20. pop — music
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. pop — soda
  24. rest — what's left

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