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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. lie — to recline
  4. drill — army training
  5. prune — to trim
  6. cell — a phone
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. cell — in biology
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. drill — the tool
  13. scale — size or range
  14. scale — in music
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. drill — a practice
  17. dip — to sink
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. prune — to trim
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. deal — to handle
  24. deal — an agreement

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