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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. roll — a list
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. clip — for paper
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. can — a tin
  13. can — a tin
  14. roll — a cake
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. stand — to bear
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. clip — to cut
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. clip — a video
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. lie — to recline
  23. can — to be able to
  24. leaves — to go away

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