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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  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. mine — an explosive
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. season — in sport
  9. face — part of the head
  10. mine — for digging
  11. face — to confront
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. swing — music
  15. season — of the year
  16. lie — to recline
  17. swing — to play on
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. swing — in golf
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. mine — belonging to me
  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