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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. file — a line of people
  5. dip — to sink
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. lie — to recline
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. toast — bread
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. season — in sport
  17. content — the amount
  18. content — happy
  19. fall — to drop
  20. fall — the season
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. file — a document
  23. file — a tool
  24. season — of the year

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