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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. bass — low music
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. shower — rain
  8. bass — the fish
  9. lie — to recline
  10. pitch — completely
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. shower — to wash
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. pound — a weight
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. mine — for digging

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