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

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. ball — a great time
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. march — the month
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. march — the month
  10. face — to confront
  11. content — happy
  12. lie — to recline
  13. march — music
  14. content — the amount
  15. kick — in football
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. ball — a dance
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. face — part of the head
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. face — to point toward
  23. perch — the fish
  24. kick — a thrill

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