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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. cue — a hint
  3. fall — the season
  4. fall — to drop
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. cue — for pool
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. land — to come down
  12. spring — a coil
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. land — a country
  15. cue — a signal
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. spring — of water
  18. suit — to fit
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. suit — clothes
  21. lie — to recline
  22. spring — the season
  23. suit — in cards
  24. land — ground

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