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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. spell — magic
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. dip — to sink
  7. spell — letters
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. prune — to trim
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. spell — a short time
  13. lie — to recline
  14. last — finally
  15. last — to go on
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. land — a country
  18. land — to come down
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. land — ground
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. last — final
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. prune — to trim

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