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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. cap — of ice
  3. lie — to recline
  4. rush — hurry
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. cap — a lid
  9. cap — a hat
  10. capital — a city
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. capital — money
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. capital — a big letter

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