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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. court — of a king
  3. kick — in football
  4. chip — to eat
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. court — of law
  7. file — a line of people
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. file — a tool
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. file — a document
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. court — for sport
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. chip — for betting
  24. lie — an untruth

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