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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. drill — the tool
  3. prune — to trim
  4. lie — to recline
  5. cue — a signal
  6. cue — for pool
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. bound — tied together
  9. pop — soda
  10. cue — a hint
  11. prune — to trim
  12. drill — army training
  13. season — of the year
  14. drill — a practice
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. rule — government
  17. pop — music
  18. bound — certain
  19. bound — obliged
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. season — in sport
  23. pop — to visit
  24. rule — a law

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