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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. ground — the earth
  8. chip — for betting
  9. lie — to recline
  10. chip — to eat
  11. tear — from crying
  12. ground — a position
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. ball — a great time
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. pitch — completely
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. ground — crushed
  22. tear — from crying
  23. tear — to rip
  24. straw — dry grass

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