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 120 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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. pitch — completely
  3. squash — to crush
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. saw — the tool
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. firm — decided
  8. squash — the sport
  9. band — a music group
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. band — a ring
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. fall — to drop
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. kick — in football
  16. firm — a company
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. fall — the season
  19. lie — to recline
  20. saw — the tool
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. firm — steady
  23. fall — to drop
  24. lie — an untruth

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