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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. stock — goods
  4. bore — to tire
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. lie — to recline
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. cell — a phone
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. stock — shares
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. bore — to drill
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. bore — gave birth

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