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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. court — for sport
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. court — of law
  5. court — of a king
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. ball — a dance
  9. squash — to crush
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. cap — a hat
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. cap — a lid
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. rush — hurry
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. ball — a great time
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. squash — the sport
  23. cap — of ice
  24. ball — a round shape

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