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 · current · bass · fall · roll · trunk · nail · lie

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. current — of water
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. current — happening now
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. roll — a cake
  10. fall — to drop
  11. lie — to recline
  12. spell — letters
  13. bass — low music
  14. fall — to drop
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. roll — a list
  18. spell — a short time
  19. spell — magic
  20. fall — the season
  21. current — electric
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. bass — the fish

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