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: squash · cue · rest · lie · chip · root · cold · stand

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rest — a break
  4. lie — to recline
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. root — of a plant
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. root — the cause
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. root — of a word
  12. chip — for betting
  13. cold — not warm
  14. stand — to bear
  15. rest — what's left
  16. squash — to crush
  17. chip — to eat
  18. cue — a hint
  19. cue — a signal
  20. cold — an illness
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. squash — the sport
  23. cue — for pool
  24. cold — the Cold War

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