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 who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. ground — a position
  3. fall — the season
  4. perch — the fish
  5. face — part of the head
  6. fall — to drop
  7. degree — from a university
  8. face — to point toward
  9. ground — crushed
  10. face — to confront
  11. degree — temperature
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. suit — to fit
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. bound — certain
  16. bound — tied together
  17. bound — obliged
  18. suit — in cards
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. dip — to sink
  21. ground — the earth
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. suit — clothes
  24. degree — an amount

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