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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — to recline
  3. tube — a container
  4. roll — a list
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. degree — an amount
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. degree — from a university
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. date — the fruit
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. degree — temperature
  15. tube — the underground
  16. cap — a hat
  17. roll — a cake
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. cap — of ice
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. foot — a measure
  24. cap — a lid

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