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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. drill — the tool
  3. stem — to come from
  4. tear — from crying
  5. clip — for paper
  6. drill — a practice
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. mark — a grade
  9. mark — a trace
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. deal — to handle
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. clip — a video
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. tear — to rip
  21. clip — to cut
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. tear — from crying
  24. drill — army training

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