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 116 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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. firm — a company
  3. pop — to visit
  4. game — a match
  5. fork — in a road
  6. pop — soda
  7. fall — the season
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. pop — music
  10. firm — decided
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. lie — to recline
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. fall — to drop
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. game — wild animals
  20. firm — steady
  21. fall — to drop
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. sharp — clever
  24. sharp — exactly

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