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

Word bank: lie · tear · track · sharp · spell · branch · pass · fall

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  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. fall — to drop
  2. branch — a division
  3. pass — a permit
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. tear — from crying
  6. tear — from crying
  7. lie — to recline
  8. track — a path
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. track — a song
  12. sharp — clever
  13. spell — letters
  14. track — to keep track
  15. spell — a short time
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. spell — magic
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. fall — the season
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. tear — to rip
  23. fall — to drop
  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