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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. craft — a skill
  6. cue — a hint
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. dip — to sink
  9. wind — moving air
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. lie — to recline
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. craft — boats
  14. wind — moving air
  15. tube — the underground
  16. cue — a signal
  17. club — for golf
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. club — for dancing
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. cue — for pool
  23. club — a group
  24. tube — a container

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