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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. lean — to bend
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. lean — thin
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. drill — the tool
  9. date — the fruit
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bulb — for light
  15. drill — a practice
  16. lie — to recline
  17. bulb — for light
  18. drill — army training

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