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 116 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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. wind — moving air
  3. wind — moving air
  4. prune — to trim
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. lie — to recline
  11. vault — a safe
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. fork — in a road
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. saw — the tool
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. prune — to trim
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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