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: ball · lean · degree · stick · lie · stand · track · row

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. stand — to bear
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. lean — to bend
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. lean — thin
  7. degree — temperature
  8. ball — a dance
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. degree — from a university
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. track — to keep track
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. track — a path
  16. ball — a great time
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. row — to paddle
  19. row — a line
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. lie — to recline
  23. track — a song
  24. degree — an amount

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