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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. tube — the underground
  3. lie — to recline
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. perch — the fish
  10. prune — to trim
  11. rush — hurry
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. content — the amount
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. tube — a container
  17. branch — a division
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. content — happy
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. prune — to trim
  24. cabinet — ministers

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