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 sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. lie — to recline
  4. saw — the tool
  5. board — to get on
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. rash — a series
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. cap — of ice
  11. wind — moving air
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. board — a committee
  14. saw — the tool
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. last — finally
  17. cap — a hat
  18. rash — hasty
  19. rush — hurry
  20. wind — moving air
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. last — to go on
  23. cap — a lid
  24. last — final

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