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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. can — a tin
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. key — for a lock
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. lie — to recline
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. stock — goods
  12. hand — help
  13. wake — a trail
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. hand — in cards
  16. key — the most important part
  17. can — to be able to
  18. can — a tin
  19. last — finally
  20. key — in music
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. last — final
  24. stock — shares

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