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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. cap — a lid
  3. lie — to recline
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. band — a ring
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. bass — the fish
  8. date — the fruit
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. cap — a hat
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. kick — in football
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. bass — low music
  21. band — a music group
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. cap — of ice

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