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: cap · bore · rash · lean · lie · lash · rock · bulb

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. cap — a lid
  3. rock — music
  4. cap — a hat
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. bore — to drill
  7. rock — a stone
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. lean — to bend
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. bore — to tire
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. lie — to recline
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. lean — thin
  18. cap — of ice
  19. rash — hasty
  20. rash — a series
  21. bulb — for light
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bulb — of a plant

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