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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. root — the cause
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. court — for sport
  8. tear — from crying
  9. tear — from crying
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. tear — to rip
  12. ball — a dance
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. ball — a great time
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. court — of law
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. perch — the fish
  21. root — of a word
  22. court — of a king
  23. root — of a plant
  24. lie — to recline

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