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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. band — a music group
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. rule — a law
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. rule — government
  10. present — there
  11. mate — a friend
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. lie — to recline
  16. mate — a partner
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. mate — to breed
  19. present — a gift
  20. band — a ring
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. present — the time now
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. wake — a trail

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