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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. fine — high quality
  3. tear — from crying
  4. wind — moving air
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. perch — the fish
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. tear — to rip
  12. tear — from crying
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. lie — to recline
  16. wind — moving air
  17. prune — to trim
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. prune — to trim
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. fine — all right
  23. chair — a leader
  24. prune — the fruit

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