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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bound — tied together
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. tear — from crying
  6. bulb — for light
  7. tear — to rip
  8. bound — obliged
  9. tear — from crying
  10. bulb — for light
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. bound — certain
  17. rock — a stone
  18. lie — to recline
  19. rock — music
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. dip — to sink
  22. press — newspapers
  23. press — a publisher
  24. press — to push

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