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 116 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: squash · key · cabinet · kick · lie · ruler · content · perch

  1. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. content — the amount
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — to recline
  9. squash — the sport
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. key — the most important part
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. key — in music
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. kick — in football
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. perch — the fish
  22. key — for a lock
  23. squash — to crush
  24. ruler — for measuring

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