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 116 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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. file — a line of people
  3. bound — obliged
  4. bound — tied together
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — the animal
  8. drill — army training
  9. stock — goods
  10. drill — the tool
  11. bound — certain
  12. cell — in biology
  13. net — after costs
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. file — a document
  16. stock — shares
  17. file — a tool
  18. net — for catching
  19. cell — a phone
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. drill — a practice
  23. net — in sport
  24. bear — to put up with

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