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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. spell — magic
  5. cap — of ice
  6. spell — a short time
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. stand — to bear
  11. spell — letters
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. deal — to handle
  17. rush — hurry
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. lie — to recline
  23. cap — a hat
  24. cap — a lid

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