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: bear · fall · lie · row · trunk · chest · deal · mug

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. mug — a face
  3. fall — to drop
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. chest — of your body
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. deal — to handle
  10. chest — a box
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. mug — to rob
  15. fall — the season
  16. row — to paddle
  17. lie — to recline
  18. chest — of your body
  19. bear — the animal
  20. fall — to drop
  21. bear — the animal
  22. row — a line
  23. mug — a cup
  24. bear — to put up with

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