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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. stock — goods
  5. ball — a great time
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. tear — from crying
  8. season — of the year
  9. plane — a tool
  10. rule — a law
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. tear — from crying
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. season — in sport
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. dip — to sink
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. stock — shares
  22. tear — to rip
  23. rule — government
  24. ball — a dance

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