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: rest · plane · lie · cue · mate · chest · game · dip

  1. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. chest — of your body
  4. rest — what's left
  5. mate — to breed
  6. chest — a box
  7. cue — a hint
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. mate — a partner
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. rest — a break
  13. game — wild animals
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. game — a match
  17. mate — a friend
  18. dip — to sink
  19. rest — what's left
  20. plane — a tool
  21. cue — for pool
  22. cue — a signal
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. lie — to recline

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