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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. wound — an injury
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. rock — music
  6. scale — in music
  7. rock — a stone
  8. scale — size or range
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. mark — a trace
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. capital — money
  18. wound — an injury
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. lie — to recline
  24. capital — a city

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