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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. fall — to drop
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. scale — size or range
  5. fall — the season
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. track — a song
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. scale — in music
  10. hand — help
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. fall — to drop
  13. hand — in cards
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. bass — low music
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. bass — the fish
  20. track — a path
  21. track — to keep track
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. chair — a leader

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