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 116 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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. bear — the animal
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. mine — for digging
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. ground — the earth
  9. pitch — completely
  10. bank — for money
  11. bank — for money
  12. bear — the animal
  13. ground — a position
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. lie — to recline
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. ground — crushed
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. bank — of a river

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