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 120 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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. rock — music
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. wind — moving air
  10. plane — a tool
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. rock — a stone
  13. kick — in football
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. lie — to recline
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. wind — moving air
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. shower — to wash
  23. scale — in music
  24. shower — rain

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