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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. present — a gift
  5. current — of water
  6. chest — of your body
  7. spell — letters
  8. bear — the animal
  9. firm — steady
  10. firm — decided
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. fine — high quality
  13. chest — a box
  14. firm — a company
  15. chest — of your body
  16. lie — to recline
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. present — there
  20. present — the time now
  21. fine — all right
  22. spell — magic
  23. current — happening now
  24. current — electric

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