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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. court — of a king
  3. current — electric
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. chair — a leader
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. current — of water
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. current — happening now
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. court — of law
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. court — for sport
  21. perch — the fish
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. lie — to recline
  24. bark — to shout

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