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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. last — final
  3. fork — in a road
  4. mark — a trace
  5. bore — to drill
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. present — the time now
  8. last — to go on
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. bore — to tire
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. wake — a trail
  17. present — a gift
  18. present — there
  19. last — finally
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. mark — a grade
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. fork — a garden tool

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