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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. wind — moving air
  3. cue — a hint
  4. face — part of the head
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. cue — for pool
  10. ground — the earth
  11. face — to point toward
  12. ground — a position
  13. face — to confront
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. ground — crushed
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. dip — to sink
  19. wind — moving air
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. row — to paddle
  22. row — a line
  23. vault — a safe
  24. cue — a signal

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