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 · tear · lie · temple · deal · bear · mug · land

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. lie — to recline
  5. bear — the animal
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. land — ground
  9. tear — from crying
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. land — to come down
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. tear — from crying
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. mug — a face
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. bear — the animal
  20. mine — for digging
  21. deal — to handle
  22. mug — to rob
  23. tear — to rip
  24. mug — a cup

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