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: arm · lie · bat · safe · mug · game · shower · ball

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. shower — rain
  3. game — wild animals
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. mug — a cup
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. game — a match
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. shower — to wash
  12. mug — to rob
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. ball — a dance
  19. ball — a great time
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. lie — to recline
  23. bat — the animal
  24. safe — out of danger

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