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: net · band · kick · key · lie · staff · tube · present

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. present — a gift
  3. key — the most important part
  4. band — a music group
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. kick — in football
  7. staff — a stick
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. net — after costs
  10. staff — employees
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. net — in sport
  13. band — a ring
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. present — there
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. net — for catching
  19. key — for a lock
  20. present — the time now
  21. tube — a container
  22. tube — the underground
  23. staff — employees
  24. key — in music

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