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 teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. squash — to crush
  5. cap — a hat
  6. lie — to recline
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. hand — help
  9. mark — a trace
  10. track — a path
  11. hand — in cards
  12. mark — a grade
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. cap — a lid
  16. squash — the sport
  17. roll — a cake
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. track — a song
  20. track — to keep track
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. cap — of ice

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