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: fork · lie · hide · pitcher · rash · root · row · bat

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. row — a line
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. row — to paddle
  7. rash — a series
  8. lie — to recline
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. fork — in a road
  11. bat — the animal
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. root — the cause
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. root — of a plant
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. root — of a word
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. rash — hasty

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