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: net · pop · lie · saw · field · cue · trunk · wound

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. net — for catching
  3. net — in sport
  4. pop — music
  5. field — for sport
  6. cue — a hint
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. wound — an injury
  9. lie — to recline
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. wound — an injury
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. cue — for pool
  15. pop — soda
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. pop — to visit
  18. saw — the tool
  19. cue — a signal
  20. saw — the tool
  21. field — a subject
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. field — farmland
  24. net — after costs

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