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 116 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: leaves · bank · lie · saw · sharp · tube · clip · bay

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. tube — a container
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. clip — to cut
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. clip — a video
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. saw — the tool
  13. saw — the tool
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. sharp — clever
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. bank — of a river
  18. bank — for money
  19. clip — for paper
  20. lie — to recline
  21. bank — for money
  22. tube — the underground
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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