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: hand · mug · bore · lie · pit · hide · lean · dip

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. hand — in cards
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. pit — in a race
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. lean — to bend
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. bore — to drill
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lean — thin
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. lie — to recline
  18. mug — a face
  19. mug — a cup
  20. dip — to sink
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. hand — help
  23. pit — a hole
  24. bore — to tire

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