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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. kick — in football
  4. game — a match
  5. stand — to bear
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. dip — to sink
  10. lie — to recline
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. fine — all right
  14. board — to get on
  15. game — wild animals
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. board — a committee
  19. ground — the earth
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. ground — crushed
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. ground — a position

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