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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. lie — to recline
  4. swing — music
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. wind — moving air
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. fall — to drop
  12. wind — moving air
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. land — a country
  15. can — a tin
  16. fall — to drop
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. land — ground
  19. fall — the season
  20. swing — in golf
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. land — to come down
  23. swing — to play on
  24. can — a tin

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