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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. board — a committee
  4. can — a tin
  5. lie — to recline
  6. kid — to tease
  7. rest — a break
  8. rest — what's left
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. land — a country
  11. can — to be able to
  12. rest — what's left
  13. board — to get on
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. can — a tin
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. branch — a division
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. kid — child
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. land — to come down
  24. land — ground

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