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: can · ball · race · dip · tube · date · wind · lie

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. can — a tin
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. can — a tin
  7. tube — a container
  8. wind — moving air
  9. can — to be able to
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. wind — moving air
  13. dip — to sink
  14. race — humankind
  15. date — the fruit
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. race — a contest
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. lie — to recline
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. ball — a great time
  22. race — the arms race
  23. ball — a dance
  24. tube — the underground

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