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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. ground — crushed
  3. bear — the animal
  4. saw — the tool
  5. bear — the animal
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. spring — the season
  8. stock — goods
  9. ground — the earth
  10. key — in music
  11. ground — a position
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. spring — of water
  15. lie — to recline
  16. game — a match
  17. stock — shares
  18. saw — the tool
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. game — wild animals
  22. key — for a lock
  23. key — the most important part
  24. spring — a coil

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