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 116 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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. ground — a position
  4. suit — to fit
  5. lie — to recline
  6. ground — crushed
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. hand — in cards
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. spell — letters
  12. suit — in cards
  13. spell — a short time
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. stand — to bear
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. ground — the earth
  19. perch — the fish
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. hand — help
  22. suit — clothes
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. perch — for a bird

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