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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. fall — to drop
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. bear — the animal
  7. spring — a coil
  8. fall — the season
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. band — a music group
  12. wind — moving air
  13. spring — the season
  14. pass — a permit
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. wind — moving air
  17. bear — the animal
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. fall — to drop
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. spring — of water
  23. lie — to recline
  24. band — a ring

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