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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. pop — to visit
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. fork — in a road
  6. firm — decided
  7. lie — to recline
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. firm — steady
  11. pop — soda
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. chest — a box
  14. land — a country
  15. pop — music
  16. chest — of your body
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. land — ground
  22. land — to come down
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. chest — of your body

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