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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. chest — a box
  3. toast — bread
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. court — of a king
  6. rock — a stone
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. court — for sport
  9. chest — of your body
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. cap — a hat
  12. court — of law
  13. cap — a lid
  14. cap — of ice
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. bulb — for light
  17. pound — a weight
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. bulb — for light
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. rock — music
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. chest — of your body
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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