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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. drill — the tool
  4. face — part of the head
  5. face — to confront
  6. lie — to recline
  7. drill — army training
  8. ground — the earth
  9. race — a contest
  10. fall — the season
  11. court — of a king
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. mug — a face
  14. race — the arms race
  15. race — humankind
  16. court — of law
  17. fall — to drop
  18. court — for sport
  19. mug — to rob
  20. ground — crushed
  21. mug — a cup
  22. face — to point toward
  23. fall — to drop
  24. ground — a position

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