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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. game — wild animals
  4. lie — to recline
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. rule — a law
  7. face — to point toward
  8. rule — government
  9. chest — of your body
  10. pit — a hole
  11. chest — of your body
  12. face — to confront
  13. chest — a box
  14. pit — in a race
  15. staff — employees
  16. staff — employees
  17. bear — the animal
  18. game — a match
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. face — part of the head
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. staff — a stick
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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