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 116 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: firm · hand · present · straw · game · saw · bore · lie

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. lie — to recline
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. game — a match
  6. hand — in cards
  7. saw — the tool
  8. present — the time now
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. firm — steady
  13. present — a gift
  14. present — there
  15. bore — to tire
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. saw — the tool
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. firm — a company
  23. firm — decided
  24. game — wild animals

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