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 120 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: rest · bore · kid · club · pass · lie · chest · leaves

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. kid — to tease
  3. lie — to recline
  4. bore — to drill
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. club — for dancing
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. bore — to tire
  12. rest — what's left
  13. kid — child
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. rest — what's left
  16. chest — of your body
  17. club — a group
  18. chest — a box
  19. rest — a break
  20. club — for golf
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. chest — of your body
  24. lie — an untruth

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