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: present · mine · row · firm · lie · bear · fine · temple

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. present — the time now
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. fine — high quality
  5. bear — the animal
  6. row — a line
  7. row — to paddle
  8. firm — decided
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. present — a gift
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. firm — a company
  14. mine — for digging
  15. fine — all right
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. bear — the animal
  18. firm — steady
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. lie — to recline
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. present — there
  24. fine — a penalty

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