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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. bat — the animal
  5. cue — a hint
  6. object — to protest
  7. spring — of water
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. spring — a coil
  10. cue — a signal
  11. present — a gift
  12. wound — an injury
  13. cue — for pool
  14. object — an aim
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. present — the time now
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. present — there
  20. object — a thing
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. wound — an injury
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. spring — the season

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