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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. fine — high quality
  3. lie — to recline
  4. sharp — clever
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. track — to keep track
  10. pit — a hole
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. root — of a plant
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. root — the cause
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. bear — the animal
  19. pit — in a race
  20. root — of a word
  21. bear — the animal
  22. track — a song
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. track — a path

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