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. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  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. bat — for baseball
  2. race — humankind
  3. bat — the animal
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. present — a gift
  9. present — the time now
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. race — the arms race
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. sharp — clever
  20. race — a contest
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. lie — to recline
  23. present — there
  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