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 116 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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. tube — a container
  4. object — a thing
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. perch — the fish
  10. object — to protest
  11. spring — the season
  12. spring — a coil
  13. spring — of water
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. lie — to recline
  20. tube — the underground
  21. object — an aim
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. dip — to dunk

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