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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  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. spell — a short time
  2. lie — to recline
  3. bear — the animal
  4. field — for sport
  5. date — the fruit
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. spell — letters
  8. field — farmland
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bear — the animal
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. chip — for betting
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. field — a subject
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. spell — magic
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. chip — to eat
  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