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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. tear — to rip
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. last — final
  5. cap — a lid
  6. cap — a hat
  7. ball — a dance
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. cap — of ice
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. charge — in control
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. charge — a price
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. charge — electricity
  18. tear — from crying
  19. ball — a great time
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. last — finally
  22. tear — from crying
  23. lie — to recline
  24. bowl — to roll

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