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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. bank — for money
  3. fall — to drop
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. bank — of a river
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — to recline
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. fall — the season
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. cue — for pool
  13. bank — for money
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. scale — in music
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. cue — a signal
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. fall — to drop
  20. wax — to grow
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. cue — a hint
  23. rush — hurry
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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