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: mine · land · lie · mark · rush · bear · rest · net

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. rest — a break
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. net — for catching
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. mine — for digging
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. land — ground
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. rest — what's left
  12. bear — the animal
  13. mark — a grade
  14. land — a country
  15. land — to come down
  16. net — in sport
  17. net — after costs
  18. bear — the animal
  19. mark — a trace
  20. rush — hurry
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. lie — to recline

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