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: land · cap · fine · hand · cell · lie · rule · mug

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. cap — a lid
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. cap — of ice
  7. lie — to recline
  8. rule — a law
  9. cap — a hat
  10. land — to come down
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. fine — high quality
  13. land — ground
  14. cell — a phone
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. rule — government
  17. mug — a cup
  18. land — a country
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. cell — in biology
  21. fine — all right
  22. hand — help
  23. mug — to rob
  24. mug — a face

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