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: spell · fine · stick · spring · key · fan · dip · lie

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. spring — of water
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. lie — to recline
  5. fine — high quality
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. spring — the season
  9. spring — a coil
  10. fine — all right
  11. key — in music
  12. key — for a lock
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. key — the most important part
  15. spell — magic
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. spell — a short time
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. dip — to sink
  24. spell — letters

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