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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. fork — in a road
  3. cap — of ice
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. land — a country
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. land — ground
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. cap — a lid
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bank — for money
  14. bat — the animal
  15. bank — of a river
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. bank — for money
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. cap — a hat
  21. land — to come down
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. sharp — clever

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