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: sharp · charge · lie · court · spell · kick · face · bark

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. face — to point toward
  3. face — to confront
  4. lie — to recline
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. spell — letters
  7. court — of law
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. spell — magic
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. bark — to shout
  13. kick — in football
  14. charge — a price
  15. charge — in control
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. charge — electricity
  19. spell — a short time
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. court — for sport
  22. face — part of the head
  23. sharp — clever
  24. kick — a thrill

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