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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. file — a line of people
  3. mug — to rob
  4. mug — a face
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. mug — a cup
  7. staff — employees
  8. rush — hurry
  9. lie — to recline
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. file — a document
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. race — a contest
  15. race — humankind
  16. march — music
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. march — the month
  19. file — a tool
  20. staff — a stick
  21. march — the month
  22. deal — to handle
  23. staff — employees
  24. race — the arms race

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