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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. root — of a plant
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. rest — a break
  7. root — of a word
  8. clip — to cut
  9. rest — what's left
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. rest — what's left
  12. cell — a phone
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. cell — in biology
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. root — the cause
  20. clip — a video
  21. fork — in a road
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. clip — for paper
  24. cabinet — ministers

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