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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. cap — a lid
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. cap — of ice
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. track — a song
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. dip — to sink
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. fall — the season
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. fall — to drop
  15. lie — to recline
  16. track — a path
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. cap — a hat
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. track — to keep track
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. wax — to grow

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