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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. fine — high quality
  3. cell — a phone
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. present — there
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. dip — to sink
  8. present — the time now
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. present — a gift
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. band — a music group
  14. cell — in biology
  15. cue — a signal
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. band — a ring
  19. cue — for pool
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. cue — a hint
  22. fine — all right
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. lie — to recline

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