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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. row — to paddle
  5. fork — in a road
  6. toast — bread
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. saw — the tool
  12. saw — the tool
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. ground — the earth
  15. row — a line
  16. wax — to grow
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. ground — a position
  20. ground — crushed
  21. lie — to recline
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. lie — an untruth

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