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: cap · kick · row · jam · prune · tube · lie · content

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. prune — to trim
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. content — the amount
  7. cap — of ice
  8. row — to paddle
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. tube — a container
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. lie — to recline
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. cap — a lid
  17. cap — a hat
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. kick — in football
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. tube — the underground
  22. content — happy
  23. row — a line
  24. prune — to trim

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