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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. clip — a video
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — to recline
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rule — government
  8. hand — help
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. vault — a safe
  11. rest — a break
  12. clip — for paper
  13. hand — in cards
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. clip — to cut
  16. root — of a plant
  17. rest — what's left
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. root — of a word
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. root — the cause
  23. rule — a law
  24. hand — part of the body

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