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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. sharp — clever
  4. kick — in football
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. pit — in a race
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. chip — to eat
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. lie — to recline
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. chip — for betting
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. pit — a hole
  22. dip — to sink
  23. pound — a weight
  24. kick — with a leg

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