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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. perch — the fish
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. tear — to rip
  5. bore — to drill
  6. saw — the tool
  7. saw — the tool
  8. prune — to trim
  9. bore — to tire
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. prune — to trim
  14. tear — from crying
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. wax — to grow
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. tear — from crying
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. wax — in the ear

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