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 120 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: rest · saw · cue · lie · dip · tube · present · safe

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. dip — to sink
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. rest — what's left
  8. cue — for pool
  9. rest — what's left
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. saw — the tool
  12. tube — the underground
  13. lie — to recline
  14. saw — the tool
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. present — the time now
  18. tube — a container
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. present — a gift
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. cue — a hint
  23. cue — a signal
  24. present — there

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