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 120 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: court · file · lie · fine · hide · bay · stand · track

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. file — a tool
  5. fine — high quality
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. court — of law
  9. stand — to bear
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. track — a song
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. lie — to recline
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. file — a line of people
  17. court — for sport
  18. fine — all right
  19. track — to keep track
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. track — a path
  23. court — of a king
  24. file — a document

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