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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. rest — what's left
  4. pop — to visit
  5. prune — to trim
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. rest — a break
  11. rest — what's left
  12. pop — music
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — to recline
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. drill — army training
  18. stand — to bear
  19. drill — the tool
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. pop — soda
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. prune — to trim
  24. nail — on a finger

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