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: rush · lie · wind · fall · track · bulb · leaves · pound

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. rush — hurry
  5. track — a path
  6. track — to keep track
  7. fall — the season
  8. bulb — for light
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. fall — to drop
  11. fall — to drop
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. wind — moving air
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. pound — a weight
  17. track — a song
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bulb — for light
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. wind — moving air
  24. rush — to hurry

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