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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. net — for catching
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. lie — to recline
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. mark — a trace
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. kid — to tease
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. race — humankind
  12. mark — a grade
  13. kid — child
  14. race — the arms race
  15. net — after costs
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. race — a contest
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. date — the fruit
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. net — in sport

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