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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. file — a document
  5. kid — child
  6. file — a line of people
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. bat — the animal
  15. file — a tool
  16. kid — to tease
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. fine — high quality
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. lie — to recline
  23. fine — all right
  24. temple — a place of worship

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