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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. bank — for money
  5. net — in sport
  6. bank — for money
  7. rock — a stone
  8. bear — the animal
  9. rock — music
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. net — after costs
  12. mate — to breed
  13. mate — a partner
  14. net — for catching
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. bear — the animal
  18. mate — a friend
  19. lie — to recline
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. dip — to sink
  22. bank — of a river
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. pitcher — a jug

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