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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. key — in music
  4. file — a tool
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. clip — for paper
  7. tube — a container
  8. clip — to cut
  9. fine — high quality
  10. clip — a video
  11. key — the most important part
  12. bank — for money
  13. tube — the underground
  14. bank — of a river
  15. file — a line of people
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. wax — to grow
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. bank — for money
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. key — for a lock
  23. lie — to recline
  24. file — a document

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