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 120 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: game · pop · lie · hide · temple · present · content · calf

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lie — to recline
  4. content — happy
  5. present — there
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. game — wild animals
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. pop — soda
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. present — the time now
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. content — the amount
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. game — a match
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. pop — to visit
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. pop — music

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