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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. lie — to recline
  3. drill — a practice
  4. dip — to sink
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. net — for catching
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. bear — the animal
  10. can — to be able to
  11. bear — the animal
  12. drill — the tool
  13. can — a tin
  14. net — in sport
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. can — a tin
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. drill — army training
  23. net — after costs
  24. bear — to put up with

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