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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. wind — moving air
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. file — a document
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. pit — in a race
  10. pit — a hole
  11. lie — to recline
  12. file — a tool
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. wind — moving air
  16. cap — a hat
  17. file — a line of people
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. cap — a lid
  22. branch — a division
  23. branch — of a tree
  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