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: bat · lie · kick · pass · wake · bound · rest · spring

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. rest — what's left
  4. bound — certain
  5. spring — a coil
  6. lie — to recline
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. wake — a trail
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. bound — obliged
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. spring — of water
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. bat — the animal
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. rest — what's left
  19. bound — tied together
  20. kick — in football
  21. spring — the season
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. pass — a permit
  24. kick — a thrill

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