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

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. stock — goods
  3. lie — to recline
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. band — a music group
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. wound — an injury
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. wound — an injury
  15. plane — a tool
  16. band — a ring
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. stock — shares

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