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 116 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 play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. tear — to rip
  3. hand — help
  4. land — ground
  5. land — a country
  6. deal — to handle
  7. mate — to breed
  8. bass — the fish
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. lie — to recline
  11. land — to come down
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. mate — a partner
  17. tear — from crying
  18. hand — in cards
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. bass — low music
  21. vault — a safe
  22. tear — from crying
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. mate — a friend

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