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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The water is too ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. cold — not warm
  3. rash — a series
  4. pit — in a race
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. cap — a lid
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. cap — of ice
  9. deal — to handle
  10. face — to point toward
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. rash — hasty
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. face — part of the head
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. cold — an illness
  21. cap — a hat
  22. pit — a hole
  23. cold — the Cold War
  24. face — to confront

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