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 120 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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. squash — the sport
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. last — final
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. plane — a tool
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. can — to be able to
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. squash — to crush
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. can — a tin
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. last — finally
  20. lie — to recline
  21. last — to go on
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. can — a tin

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