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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. shower — to wash
  4. chip — for betting
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — to be able to
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. bass — the fish
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. shower — rain
  17. can — a tin
  18. bass — low music
  19. chip — to eat
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. lie — an untruth

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