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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. pit — a hole
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. pitch — completely
  9. bass — low music
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. drill — army training
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. rash — a series
  14. lie — to recline
  15. pit — in a race
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. rash — hasty
  20. drill — the tool
  21. bass — the fish
  22. drill — a practice
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. pitch — a sports field

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