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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. land — ground
  5. court — of a king
  6. court — of law
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. mark — a grade
  9. land — a country
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. court — for sport
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. mark — a trace
  18. lie — to recline
  19. saw — the tool
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. land — to come down
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. lie — an untruth

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