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: fine · key · lean · lie · stick · object · dip · band

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. band — a music group
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. key — for a lock
  5. object — to protest
  6. key — the most important part
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. key — in music
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lean — thin
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. band — a ring
  16. lie — to recline
  17. object — an aim
  18. fine — high quality
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. dip — to sink
  21. object — a thing
  22. lean — to bend
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. fine — all right

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