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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. tear — from crying
  3. firm — steady
  4. scale — size or range
  5. fall — to drop
  6. bore — to tire
  7. bore — to drill
  8. firm — a company
  9. pit — a hole
  10. fall — to drop
  11. scale — in music
  12. net — after costs
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. net — for catching
  17. tear — from crying
  18. pit — in a race
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. lie — to recline
  21. firm — decided
  22. tear — to rip
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. net — in sport

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