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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. fall — to drop
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. fall — the season
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. ball — a great time
  8. lie — to recline
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. ball — a dance
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. saw — the tool
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. rest — a break
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. rest — what's left
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. fall — to drop
  23. rest — what's left
  24. saw — the tool

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