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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. game — wild animals
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. bound — certain
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. lie — to recline
  8. fall — to drop
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. craft — boats
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. craft — a skill
  13. bound — tied together
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. game — a match
  16. ball — a dance
  17. ball — a great time
  18. saw — the tool
  19. mine — for digging
  20. saw — the tool
  21. fall — the season
  22. fall — to drop
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. bound — obliged

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