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: tube · pass · bear · bat · temple · firm · wound · lie

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. wound — an injury
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. firm — decided
  6. wound — an injury
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — the animal
  9. tube — a container
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. pass — a permit
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. bat — the animal
  16. firm — a company
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. firm — steady
  23. lie — to recline
  24. tube — the underground

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