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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. bound — tied together
  3. lie — to recline
  4. fork — in a road
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. kick — in football
  7. cue — for pool
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. rash — hasty
  11. bound — obliged
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. tear — from crying
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. cue — a signal
  16. cue — a hint
  17. tear — to rip
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. bound — certain
  20. rash — a series
  21. tear — from crying
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. mate — a friend
  24. mate — a partner

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