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: bulb · lie · capital · stand · firm · clip · scale · dip

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. clip — for paper
  3. scale — size or range
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. firm — steady
  6. clip — a video
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. firm — a company
  12. capital — a city
  13. clip — to cut
  14. stand — to bear
  15. scale — in music
  16. bulb — for light
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. capital — money
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. bulb — for light
  23. firm — decided
  24. dip — to sink

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