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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. staff — employees
  3. lie — to recline
  4. drill — a practice
  5. bass — low music
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. drill — the tool
  8. row — a line
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. staff — a stick
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. staff — employees
  13. bass — the fish
  14. suit — to fit
  15. suit — in cards
  16. drill — army training
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. net — for catching
  20. row — to paddle
  21. suit — clothes
  22. net — in sport
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. net — after costs

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