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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bat — the animal
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. lie — to recline
  6. capital — money
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. wax — to grow
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. pop — music
  18. pop — to visit
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. branch — a division
  23. capital — a city
  24. pop — soda

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