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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. lie — to recline
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. wind — moving air
  5. toast — bread
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. vault — a safe
  11. fall — the season
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. cold — an illness
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. cold — not warm
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. wind — moving air
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. fall — to drop
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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