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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. drill — army training
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. drill — a practice
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. stand — to bear
  8. dip — to sink
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. foot — a measure
  11. shower — rain
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. drill — the tool
  16. shower — to wash
  17. tube — the underground
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. lie — to recline
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. tube — a container
  24. lie — an untruth

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