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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. press — a publisher
  3. can — a tin
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. press — newspapers
  6. craft — a skill
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. craft — boats
  9. tube — a container
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. tube — the underground
  13. can — to be able to
  14. stem — to come from
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. press — to push
  18. bear — the animal
  19. lie — to recline
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. bear — the animal
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. can — a tin

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