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: cue · spring · lash · trunk · wound · lie · kid · stock

  1. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. spring — of water
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. spring — the season
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. wound — an injury
  8. stock — goods
  9. spring — a coil
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. lie — to recline
  12. cue — for pool
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. stock — shares
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. cue — a signal
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. kid — to tease
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. wound — an injury
  24. cue — a hint

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