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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. suit — to fit
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. pass — a permit
  5. hand — help
  6. suit — clothes
  7. lie — to recline
  8. net — after costs
  9. suit — in cards
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. last — finally
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. dip — to sink
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. hand — in cards
  16. net — in sport
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. last — final
  19. last — to go on
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. bear — the animal
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. net — for catching
  24. bear — to put up with

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