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 like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. dip — to sink
  4. branch — a division
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. kick — in football
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mark — a trace
  15. lie — to recline
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. stock — goods
  19. wake — a trail
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. stock — shares
  23. mark — a grade
  24. kick — a thrill

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