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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. lie — to recline
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. spell — magic
  7. degree — temperature
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. spell — letters
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. kid — to tease
  14. kid — child
  15. degree — an amount
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. kick — in football
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. degree — from a university
  22. spell — a short time
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. kick — with a leg

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