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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. cue — a signal
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. bass — the fish
  5. cue — a hint
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. prune — to trim
  9. spring — of water
  10. spring — a coil
  11. prune — to trim
  12. lie — to recline
  13. pass — a permit
  14. present — there
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. present — a gift
  17. present — the time now
  18. bass — low music
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. spring — the season
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. kick — in football
  24. cue — for pool

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