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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. pit — a hole
  4. bulb — for light
  5. face — to point toward
  6. bulb — for light
  7. rest — what's left
  8. lie — to recline
  9. hand — in cards
  10. face — to confront
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. rest — what's left
  14. pit — in a race
  15. file — a document
  16. hand — help
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. rest — a break
  20. file — a line of people
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. face — part of the head
  24. wake — a trail

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