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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. cold — the Cold War
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. board — a committee
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. fall — to drop
  10. spell — a short time
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. lie — to recline
  13. stock — goods
  14. cold — an illness
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. spell — letters
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. board — to get on
  19. stock — shares
  20. cold — not warm
  21. fall — to drop
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. spell — magic

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