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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. pit — a hole
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. pop — soda
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. pit — in a race
  10. shower — to wash
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. shower — rain
  13. wake — a trail
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. pop — music
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. content — the amount
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. content — happy
  22. pop — to visit
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  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