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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. spell — a short time
  3. track — a song
  4. spell — letters
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. cue — a hint
  7. foot — a measure
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. spell — magic
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. track — to keep track
  17. deal — to handle
  18. track — a path
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. cue — for pool
  21. cue — a signal
  22. lie — to recline
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. patient — a sick person

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