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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. court — of a king
  3. rash — a series
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. pitch — completely
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. court — of law
  11. track — a song
  12. track — a path
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. sharp — clever
  16. track — to keep track
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. rash — hasty
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. stem — to come from
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. court — for sport

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