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. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. mate — to breed
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. mate — a friend
  10. last — to go on
  11. stand — to bear
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. last — finally
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. dip — to sink
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. lie — to recline
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. mate — a partner
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. last — final
  23. kid — child
  24. stand — on your feet

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