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 · wax · temple · bore · wind · present · cabinet · arm

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. wind — moving air
  11. lie — to recline
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. wax — to grow
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. present — there
  16. bore — to tire
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. bore — to drill
  19. present — the time now
  20. wind — moving air
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. present — a gift
  24. lie — an untruth

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