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 120 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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. court — of law
  4. tube — the underground
  5. tube — a container
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. court — for sport
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. lie — to recline
  13. pass — a permit
  14. rush — hurry
  15. last — finally
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. last — final
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. court — of a king

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