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

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. bank — of a river
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. bank — for money
  5. lie — to recline
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. ball — a dance
  8. ball — a great time
  9. file — a document
  10. cue — a hint
  11. spring — of water
  12. file — a line of people
  13. spring — a coil
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. cue — for pool
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. bank — for money
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. spring — the season
  23. cue — a signal
  24. file — a tool

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