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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. hand — in cards
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. hand — help
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. present — there
  12. present — the time now
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. plane — a tool
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. present — a gift
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. lie — an untruth

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