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. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. press — to push
  3. kid — child
  4. spring — of water
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. can — a tin
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. spring — the season
  9. press — a publisher
  10. spring — a coil
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. kid — to tease
  13. tube — a container
  14. tube — the underground
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. press — newspapers
  18. can — a tin
  19. bear — the animal
  20. can — to be able to
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. lie — to recline
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bear — to put up with

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