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: lean · pop · lie · roll · shower · fan · chip · toast

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. lie — to recline
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. chip — to eat
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. toast — bread
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. pop — to visit
  11. pop — soda
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. lean — to bend
  16. lean — thin
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. chip — for betting
  19. roll — a list
  20. pop — music
  21. shower — rain
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. shower — to wash
  24. roll — a cake

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