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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. suit — in cards
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. suit — to fit
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. land — ground
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. lie — to recline
  10. saw — the tool
  11. date — the fruit
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. land — to come down
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. land — a country
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. saw — the tool
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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