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: pound · chest · kick · squash · mate · bulb · mug · lie

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. pound — a weight
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. squash — the sport
  7. chest — of your body
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. kick — in football
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. mate — to breed
  14. chest — of your body
  15. mate — a friend
  16. mug — a face
  17. bulb — for light
  18. mate — a partner
  19. mug — a cup
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. mug — to rob
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. squash — to crush
  24. lie — to recline

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