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 120 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: lash · leaves · bear · lie · mate · ground · land · wound

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. ground — crushed
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. land — a country
  5. land — ground
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. mate — a friend
  8. ground — the earth
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. lie — to recline
  12. mate — a partner
  13. mate — to breed
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. bear — the animal
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. wound — an injury
  21. ground — a position
  22. land — to come down
  23. wound — an injury
  24. lash — to lash out

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