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: rest · fan · ball · calf · ground · nail · leaves · lie

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. rest — what's left
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. ground — a position
  7. rest — what's left
  8. ball — a great time
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. ball — a dance
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. ground — crushed
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. ground — the earth
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. rest — a break
  24. fan — a supporter

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