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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: clip · nail · fan · scale · rash · lie · row · cap

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. row — a line
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. clip — to cut
  6. cap — of ice
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. scale — size or range
  10. row — to paddle
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. scale — in music
  14. clip — a video
  15. cap — a hat
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. clip — for paper
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. rash — hasty
  20. cap — a lid
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. lie — to recline
  23. rash — a series
  24. lie — an untruth

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