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: spell · bat · safe · dip · leaves · cabinet · coach · lie

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. dip — to sink
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. spell — letters
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. lie — to recline
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. bat — the animal
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. spell — a short time
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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