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: pass · mouse · temple · lie · mug · straw · cap · fine

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. cap — of ice
  4. cap — a hat
  5. lie — to recline
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. fine — high quality
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. fine — all right
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. mug — to rob
  16. cap — a lid
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. mug — a face
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. mug — a cup
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. lie — an untruth

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