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: saw · pop · trunk · rest · pass · squash · row · lie

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. rest — what's left
  3. lie — to recline
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. pop — to visit
  8. rest — a break
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. row — a line
  11. pass — a permit
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. squash — the sport
  14. saw — the tool
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. saw — the tool
  17. row — to paddle
  18. rest — what's left
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. pop — soda
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. pop — music
  24. squash — to crush

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