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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. tube — a container
  3. tube — the underground
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — to recline
  6. band — a ring
  7. lean — thin
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. mark — a trace
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. mark — a grade
  14. ground — the earth
  15. band — a music group
  16. kid — child
  17. sharp — clever
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. kid — to tease
  20. lean — to bend
  21. ground — a position
  22. ground — crushed
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. lean — to rest against

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