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: pass · lie · bat · lean · kid · ball · drill · current

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. kid — child
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. drill — a practice
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. bat — the animal
  8. current — happening now
  9. drill — the tool
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lean — thin
  13. kid — to tease
  14. lean — to bend
  15. lie — to recline
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. drill — army training
  18. current — of water
  19. ball — a dance
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. pass — a permit
  24. current — electric

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