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 didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. wake — a trail
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. spring — the season
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. pound — a weight
  9. spring — a coil
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. swing — to play on
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. bank — for money
  14. swing — music
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. swing — in golf
  18. bank — for money
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. bank — of a river
  23. spring — of water
  24. lie — to recline

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