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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. last — finally
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. root — the cause
  6. fall — to drop
  7. root — of a word
  8. present — there
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. kid — child
  11. root — of a plant
  12. lie — to recline
  13. last — final
  14. content — the amount
  15. fall — the season
  16. content — happy
  17. present — a gift
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. present — the time now
  21. last — to go on
  22. kid — to tease
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. fall — to drop

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