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 116 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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. lie — to recline
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. drill — the tool
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. drill — a practice
  11. tube — a container
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. stem — to come from
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. ball — a great time
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. kick — in football
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. tube — the underground
  24. drill — army training

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