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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. lie — to recline
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. object — a thing
  9. wind — moving air
  10. fall — to drop
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. object — to protest
  13. fall — to drop
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. fall — the season
  17. ball — a dance
  18. net — in sport
  19. wind — moving air
  20. net — for catching
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. net — after costs
  23. ball — a great time
  24. nail — for a hammer

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