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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. pop — music
  5. pop — to visit
  6. row — to paddle
  7. cap — a lid
  8. cue — a signal
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. lie — to recline
  12. stand — to bear
  13. cap — a hat
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. cue — a hint
  16. row — a line
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. chair — a leader
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. cue — for pool
  24. cap — of ice

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