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: land · leaves · ruler · lean · ball · hand · pop · lie

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. pop — music
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. land — to come down
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. pop — to visit
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. hand — in cards
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. pop — soda
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. lean — to bend
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. land — ground
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ball — a dance
  19. land — a country
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lie — to recline
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. lean — thin
  24. hand — help

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