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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. pit — a hole
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. row — a line
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. spell — letters
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. spell — magic
  13. season — of the year
  14. row — to paddle
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. pit — in a race
  18. lie — to recline
  19. spell — a short time
  20. mark — a trace
  21. mark — a grade
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. season — in sport

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