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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. cell — a phone
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. staff — employees
  9. prune — to trim
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. capital — money
  12. staff — a stick
  13. capital — a city
  14. lie — to recline
  15. cell — in biology
  16. staff — employees
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. stand — to bear
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. dip — to sink
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. prune — to trim

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