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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. kid — to tease
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. court — for sport
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. court — of a king
  8. can — a tin
  9. can — to be able to
  10. lie — to recline
  11. ball — a great time
  12. court — of law
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. ball — a dance
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. pitch — completely
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. kid — child

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