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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rest · deal · cell · sharp · lie · roll · staff · bass

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. deal — to handle
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. roll — a cake
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. rest — what's left
  7. bass — low music
  8. staff — a stick
  9. bass — the fish
  10. rest — what's left
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. rest — a break
  14. cell — a phone
  15. staff — employees
  16. staff — employees
  17. sharp — clever
  18. roll — a list
  19. cell — in biology
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. lie — to recline
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. sharp — with an edge

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