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. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. kid — child
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. suit — to fit
  5. capital — money
  6. fall — to drop
  7. saw — the tool
  8. kid — to tease
  9. suit — in cards
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. fall — to drop
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. suit — clothes
  16. fall — the season
  17. saw — the tool
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lean — to bend
  20. perch — the fish
  21. capital — a city
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. lean — thin
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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