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: race · net · lie · bulb · bore · rest · mug · chest

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. race — the arms race
  3. race — humankind
  4. chest — of your body
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. bulb — for light
  8. net — after costs
  9. race — a contest
  10. bulb — for light
  11. net — in sport
  12. bore — to drill
  13. chest — a box
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. rest — what's left
  16. mug — a face
  17. rest — what's left
  18. mug — a cup
  19. chest — of your body
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. bore — to tire
  22. rest — a break
  23. lie — to recline
  24. net — for catching

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