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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. wound — an injury
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. mug — a cup
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. lie — to recline
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. cell — in biology
  15. mug — to rob
  16. date — the fruit
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. cell — a phone
  20. wound — an injury
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. mug — a face
  24. wave — of the sea

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