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: object · key · hide · clip · chip · kid · lie · race

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. race — a contest
  3. kid — child
  4. key — the most important part
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. chip — to eat
  7. clip — for paper
  8. key — for a lock
  9. key — in music
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. race — humankind
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. chip — for betting
  15. kid — to tease
  16. clip — a video
  17. clip — to cut
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. object — to protest
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. object — an aim
  23. object — a thing
  24. race — the arms race

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