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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. wound — an injury
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. stand — to bear
  7. fine — all right
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. suit — in cards
  14. capital — money
  15. suit — clothes
  16. suit — to fit
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. wound — an injury
  19. fine — high quality
  20. capital — a city
  21. shower — rain
  22. shower — to wash
  23. branch — a division
  24. capital — a big letter

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