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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: hand · temple · row · stand · lie · straw · ball · cabinet

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. row — to paddle
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. lie — to recline
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. row — a line
  15. hand — in cards
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. stand — to bear
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. ball — a great time
  20. ball — a dance
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. hand — help

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