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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. staff — employees
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. ball — a great time
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. mark — a grade
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. row — to paddle
  10. staff — employees
  11. lie — to recline
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. staff — a stick
  14. tube — the underground
  15. chest — of your body
  16. current — happening now
  17. current — electric
  18. current — of water
  19. chest — of your body
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. row — a line
  22. ball — a dance
  23. tube — a container
  24. mark — a trace

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