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 · band · lie · fall · wind · squash · bowl · pound

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. cap — a lid
  3. pound — a weight
  4. cap — of ice
  5. wind — moving air
  6. lie — to recline
  7. fall — the season
  8. fall — to drop
  9. fall — to drop
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. band — a music group
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. cap — a hat
  18. wind — moving air
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. band — a ring
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. squash — the sport

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