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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. bear — the animal
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. land — ground
  6. kid — to tease
  7. ball — a dance
  8. kid — child
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. ball — a great time
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. net — in sport
  14. land — a country
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. net — for catching
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. net — after costs
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. bear — the animal
  21. land — to come down
  22. lie — to recline
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. lie — an untruth

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