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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. key — the most important part
  4. club — for golf
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. tear — to rip
  9. key — for a lock
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. rule — a law
  12. lie — to recline
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. pit — in a race
  15. club — a group
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. tear — from crying
  18. tear — from crying
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. key — in music
  21. pit — a hole
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. rule — government
  24. club — for dancing

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