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: wind · mate · hide · lean · date · racket · prune · lie

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. wind — moving air
  9. lean — thin
  10. lean — to bend
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. date — the fruit
  15. prune — to trim
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. mate — a partner
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. prune — to trim
  21. mate — a friend
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. wind — moving air
  24. mate — to breed

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