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 teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. lie — to recline
  3. current — happening now
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. band — a music group
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. toast — bread
  10. fall — the season
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. content — happy
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. current — electric
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. current — of water
  18. band — a ring
  19. fall — to drop
  20. fall — to drop
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. roll — a cake
  23. content — the amount
  24. fan — to cool the air

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