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: stick · ball · shower · object · straw · lie · clip · ruler

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — to recline
  3. object — an aim
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. clip — to cut
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. clip — a video
  9. clip — for paper
  10. ball — a great time
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. object — to protest
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. shower — rain
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. object — a thing
  20. ball — a dance
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. shower — to wash
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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