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: craft · lie · shower · ball · lash · scale · chest · snap

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. ball — a dance
  6. snap — to click
  7. shower — to wash
  8. scale — size or range
  9. ball — a great time
  10. craft — a skill
  11. chest — of your body
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. lie — to recline
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. craft — boats
  16. chest — a box
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. shower — rain
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. chest — of your body
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. scale — in music

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