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 116 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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bass — the fish
  3. fine — high quality
  4. chip — for betting
  5. mug — a face
  6. land — a country
  7. bass — low music
  8. lie — to recline
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. fine — all right
  11. chip — to eat
  12. mug — to rob
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. land — ground
  16. land — to come down
  17. charge — a price
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. charge — in control
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. mug — a cup
  23. stem — to come from
  24. charge — electricity

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