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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. staff — a stick
  4. ground — crushed
  5. mate — a partner
  6. spell — magic
  7. mug — a face
  8. spring — the season
  9. content — the amount
  10. mug — to rob
  11. spell — letters
  12. staff — employees
  13. ground — a position
  14. mate — to breed
  15. mate — a friend
  16. spring — of water
  17. ground — the earth
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. spring — a coil
  20. mug — a cup
  21. content — happy
  22. lie — to recline
  23. spell — a short time
  24. staff — employees

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