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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. spring — the season
  4. spring — a coil
  5. bass — the fish
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. scale — in music
  9. suit — in cards
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. suit — clothes
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. suit — to fit
  14. bear — the animal
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. dip — to sink
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. scale — size or range
  19. bear — the animal
  20. lie — to recline
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. spring — of water
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. bass — low music

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