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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — to recline
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. ball — a great time
  6. scale — in music
  7. spell — magic
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. spell — a short time
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. wax — to grow
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. scale — size or range
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. spell — letters
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. pass — a permit
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. ball — a dance
  24. leaves — to go away

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