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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. mine — for digging
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. lie — to recline
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. deal — to handle
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. lean — thin
  17. lean — to bend
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. temple — a place of worship

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