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: leaves · spring · lie · fan · chip · safe · shower · race

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. lie — to recline
  5. spring — the season
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. shower — to wash
  8. race — a contest
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. chip — for betting
  12. chip — to eat
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. race — humankind
  15. race — the arms race
  16. shower — rain
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. spring — of water
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. spring — a coil
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. fan — a supporter

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