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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. file — a line of people
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. file — a tool
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. root — of a word
  8. mark — a grade
  9. file — a document
  10. dip — to sink
  11. court — of a king
  12. root — the cause
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. root — of a plant
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. court — for sport
  17. lie — to recline
  18. court — of law

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