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: lie · racket · land · safe · pit · march · face · hand

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. hand — in cards
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. land — ground
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. land — to come down
  8. face — to confront
  9. pit — a hole
  10. land — a country
  11. pit — in a race
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. march — the month
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. face — to point toward
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. lie — to recline
  18. march — music
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. face — part of the head
  21. march — the month
  22. hand — help
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. racket — for tennis

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