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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. lean — thin
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — to recline
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. bulb — for light
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. clip — to cut
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. clip — a video
  15. lean — to bend
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. bulb — for light
  20. clip — for paper
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. bear — the animal

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