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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. spell — letters
  3. court — of law
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. mate — to breed
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. board — to get on
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. spell — a short time
  11. spell — magic
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. court — of a king
  14. board — a committee
  15. rush — hurry
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. court — for sport
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. mate — a partner
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. mate — a friend
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. toast — bread

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