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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. last — to go on
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. bore — to tire
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. cue — a signal
  8. lean — to bend
  9. lean — thin
  10. track — a song
  11. track — a path
  12. last — final
  13. bore — to drill
  14. lie — to recline
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. last — finally
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. cue — a hint
  21. stem — to come from
  22. track — to keep track
  23. cue — for pool
  24. arm — part of the body

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