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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. row — a line
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. bear — the animal
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. key — the most important part
  10. file — a tool
  11. file — a document
  12. hand — in cards
  13. charge — in control
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. hand — help
  16. key — in music
  17. charge — electricity
  18. row — to paddle
  19. file — a line of people
  20. bear — the animal
  21. squash — to crush
  22. key — for a lock
  23. squash — the sport
  24. charge — a price

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