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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lie — to recline
  4. chest — of your body
  5. bat — the animal
  6. chest — of your body
  7. can — a tin
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. tube — a container
  10. perch — the fish
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. suit — to fit
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. tube — the underground
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. fork — in a road
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. can — a tin
  22. suit — clothes
  23. can — to be able to
  24. chest — a box

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