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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. snap — to click
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. wind — moving air
  5. drill — a practice
  6. wind — moving air
  7. firm — steady
  8. rest — a break
  9. cap — of ice
  10. drill — the tool
  11. tube — a container
  12. tube — the underground
  13. firm — a company
  14. cap — a lid
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. cap — a hat
  19. lie — to recline
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. rest — what's left
  22. drill — army training
  23. rest — what's left
  24. firm — decided

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